Before Allen Came
by pika318
Summary: What was is it like before D. gray man? The unknown story of the exorcists before Allen entered the scene.Story is based on plausible answers to some unanswered questions. Chapter 15:When Allen came
1. Under the Moon

Author's notes: D. gray man belongs to Hoshino Sensei.

This story takes place before Allen entered the Order, so don't expect to see him mentioned (near the end maybe). This story is produced to answer my unanswered questions.

* * *

_**11 years before D. Gray-man**_

The waning moon shone brightly in the sky, reflecting off the twisted metallic bodies which lay on the poisoned ground. Out of all the countries, Japan has been hit the hardest. 90 of its "population" consists of akuma and Japan's government was controlled by the Millennium Earl himself.

General Froi Tiodoll sighed to himself. If he had the choice, he would not have even considered bringing his two adolescent students with him. Daisya and Marie have only been with him for two years and ten months respectively. It was still too early for them to enter this god forsaken land. But since the HQ wanted him to survey this area with his students on the way back to North Europe, it's not like arguing was an option.

"Maa-kun, what do you hear?" Tiodoll asked his older student. Marie had been blind from birth, making his sense of hearing and touch as acute as the human limit can be. Coupled with his innocence, he can hear a mouse walking a mile away. Marie focused for a while.

"Why bother?" Daisya drawled. "There's probably nothing here but akuma remains in this town. This place is practically a carnage zone."

"Daisya-kun, why do you think the akuma are destroyed if no exorcist has been sent here before?" said Tiodoll. Daisya make a sound. "Oh yeah. Why didn't I think of that?" he said sarcastically, "But still…"

"Master! There are living people here." Marie cut Daisya off in mid-sentence. "I think there are two. One has rather weak breathing while the other is, well, not that weak?" He ended sheepishly.

"Let's go then."

* * *

Marie led the group next to a large building compound. Its exterior walls were stained crimson by Akuma and human blood. There were pieces of clothing scattered across the soil, proof that humans were once present.

"Inside." Said Marie.

"Woah!" exclaimed Daisya. "That house is freakin' huge. Probably some rich noble's." The roof, upper floor and balcony of the building could be seen clearly from beyond the high unwelcoming walls. Ignoring the younger youth's comments, the other two walked into the compound first.

Tiodoll looked around for the signs of life that Marie has spoken about. This place would have been beautiful, he thought, if not for the blood and dust. They have entered what looked like a garden, however the trees have been burnt or withered and the flowers and grass have all wilted and crumbled.

(Japanese) "Good evening. Finally someone shown up, you took long enough." A girl's voice was heard. The group turned to the source of the voice.

Under the faint moonlight, Tiodoll could make out the silhouette of a teenage girl of about 15 years. The teenager had dark blue, almost black, hair that shimmered under the moonlight. She was wearing a silver kimono that was adorned with blooming lotuses and carrying a paper umbrella.

"What are you doing here miss?" Tiodoll asked gently in Japanese. Japanese was just one of the many languages he has mastered during his employment in the Black order. He turned and signalled his two students to back off. Firstly, they do not know any of the Japanese language to be able to understand and secondly, there was something abnormal about the girl.

"Nothing much, just waiting for someone to come. Are you an Exorcist?"

"Well, yes." The rose cross has made it quite obvious. But since Japan has always isolated itself, it is possible for some people to be unaware of the existence of the order.

"Oh good, then please take care of him for me." The strange lady tilted her head towards a small figure lying on the ground. Then she smiled in an eerie manner.

"Take care of him well because _I want him back_." She turned and, using her umbrella, cut a fracture in dark space behind her. She tilted her head to face the stunned group again.

"Bye-bye" The girl stepped into the crack and disappeared, the crack closing up like a zip behind her. Tiodoll, Daisya and Marie stared (Marie didn't exactly stare though, his face was just in that direction) in shock at where the crack was.

"What the-!" Daisya exclaimed loudly, breaking the silence.

Tiodoll strode towards the small figure. "Great lord." He whispered.

The "him" the strange teenager was referring to was a small boy of perhaps no more than seven years old. His clothes were tattered and stained with a dark liquid, probably blood. The same dark blue hair covered his closed eyes and in his right hand, he was gripping a crumbling katana.

"Master, there's something glowing in that sword." Said Daisya. Tiodoll picked up the glowing object. It was Innocence. But as Tiodoll checked the matter, he realized that something was amiss. Innocence consisted of a glowing core and two rings around it, however this innocence had a section of one of the rings missing. It could have been overlooked by most people but not Tiodoll's trained eye.

Tiodoll wrapped his arms around the unconscious boy and carried him. The already useless katana fell out of the child's grip and shattered upon impact on the ground.

"We're going to find a clinic." Tiodoll told his students. "And then this child is coming with us to the headquarters."

"Why?" asked Marie.

"He's an accommodator, an important exorcist."

* * *

Author's notes: Okay, first chapter is done. (smile) Please review so I would know how I can improve. 


	2. Kanda Yuu

Author's notes: D.gray man belongs to Hoshino Sensei. Here's the second chapter. Thank god it's holidays for now. At least I can juggle my piles of homework and my "fun" at the same time.

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"_You found a disciple?" _Chief Leverrier's voice crackled through the golem attached phone. "_In Japan? How can you be sure that he's not an akuma?"_

"I'm pretty sure an akuma would not allow itself to be carried back by a General especially when it has a raw innocence near it." Tiodoll replied. He has called the headquarters to inform them about the innocence and possible accommodator. _I better omit the parts about the strange girl lest they put the child under suspicion. The chief can be extremely unreasonable sometimes. _Tiodoll thought to himself.

"Do you want me to drop by the Asian branch so they can check on the child properly?" The general asked.

"_No. Bring him back immediately. The headquarters has better facilities than that run down branch."_

"Fine." Tiodoll heard the phone click as Leverrier put the receiver down in his office. _My my. How arrogant. The Asian branch is much larger than the headquarters itself and with more people too in case he didn't realize. Then again, he never bothered to go to China._

The wireless golem unattached itself from the telephone cord and hovered around Tiodoll's head and then the commotion in the next room started.

"WAIT! KID,CALM DOWN! WE'RE NOT GOING TO HURT YOU! MASTER, A LITTLE HELP HERE! I CAN'T FREAKIN' SPEAK JAPANESE! GAAAH! KID!" Tiodoll then felt a little breeze. The door must have opened. He walked to the adjacent room and found only Marie and a messed up bed there.

"Uhh.. The boy woke up and ran out. Daisya went after him." Marie explained.

"From the sound, I think they're going towards that town."

­­­­­­­

* * *

After about a kilometer and a half worth of running, Marie and General Tiodoll found Daisya bent, hands on knees, panting.

"That freaky little brat….. runs bloody fast!" He managed to say after taking in a few lung-fulls of air.

"So, you lost him?" Marie asked.

"I swear, I was the fastest sprinter in my hometown and that brat shook me off his tail!"

"You lost him?" Marie repeated.

"YES! I freakin' lost him!" Daisya snapped. "Now what?"

"He went back to the town." Tiodoll told him. "All is not lost, except your pride, of course, losing to a child half your age."

Daisya glared at his master and followed Marie towards the town with thoughts of shattering the old man's glasses when they get back and perhaps quartering the little brat.

_Where are they? Where's aneue (older sister)? She was talking to me after chichioya (father) and hahaoya (mother) got killed._

The young boy slowed down as he neared the blood-stained walls of his house. He stared at the entrance as images of his parents getting shot by the metallic monsters flashed through his mind. His sister was standing next to him, holding him back as he tried to rush towards his parents' disintegrating bodies.

_I was holding the katana that belonged to chichioya, why was I even holding it? I don't remember going near it._

His memories were all a blur. He could still hear the sound of gears as the monsters moved and the strange cries they made when the katana sliced through their round bodies. He could hear people screaming as they were shot. All the familiar voices, his irritating neighbors, the old lady that sold tea, everyone just died overnight. He could remember his sister crouching next to him as he was fading. She whispered into his ears gently, a few words before crosses become etched across her forehead and her pale pearl skin turned gray.

"_Let's play a game, if you find me, I'll let you fight me. If you kill me, you win and I'll give this back to you. If you don't, I'll kill you."_

_What was "this"? _He was confused. His sister was holding a small glowing fragment. _It doesn't even belong to me. Why does aneue want to kill me? _The older girl had always smiled at him, listening to his complaints and tantrums, sharing his joy and pain. She had always cared for him

The small boy squatted down and curled up tightly, putting his face between his knees and moaned to himself. _What is going on?_ Just yesterday, he was having dinner with his parents without his sister. She had been taken ill. The monsters attacked out of the blue, killing all those that he have known in his life and then he wakes up in a room with two strange teenagers wearing black.

_There were crosses on their clothes. _He suddenly realized. _Just like the ones that appeared on aneue's forehead._ _Were they the ones who attacked the whole town?_

* * *

Tiodoll spotted the young boy crouching in front of his house. _Is he mourning?_

(Japanese) "Hello." Tiodoll greeted the boy cheerfully. "You must be pretty energetic to run all the way here. You feeling better?"

The boy turned around in such a swift manner, it would have made any top samurai proud.

(Japanese)"Was it you?" The boy demanded. "Were you the one who set those monsters on the people here?"

Tiodoll put his hands up defensively. "It's not a good idea to talk here, why don't we go back…"

"Answer me!" The boy screamed.

The general was taken aback by the sudden outburst and he let out a sigh. "I did not send anything to attack this town. This is the first time my students and I been here."

"You're lying!" the boy pointed at Daisya and Marie. "The cross on their clothes looks exactly like the ones that appeared on aneue's forehead."

_Crosses? His sister's actually a Noah?_ Tiodoll has heard about Noah's before and they are characterized by their human-like appearance, save for the deathly gray skin and crosses carved onto their foreheads.

The boy looked as though he would have killed Tiodoll if someone put even a stick in his hand.

(English) "The brat looks like he's gonna kill you." Daisya pointed out.

"I'm aware." The general looked at the enraged child. (Japanese) "My students and I are not related to the killings that happened yesterday. They were killed by akuma."

"Akuma?"

"Weapons that wear human skin. Myself and the two people behind me are Exorcists. We destroy akuma."

"Why should I believe you?" The boy asked suspiciously.

"Because you have nowhere else to go. Your family is gone and your home is non-existent. The life you knew is already over." Tiodoll would have kicked himself for speaking to a child like that. It was harsh enough to see your own family get killed, it was worse having somebody whack that reality into your head. "But you can become an Exorcist. You have the capability to."

The child stared at Tiodoll. He looked like a lost child who has just been given a direction in life.

"I can destroy akuma? Are you saying that I have the ability to get rid of those monsters?"

Tiodoll found himself giving a look of disappointment and disapproval. _Is revenge already on this child's mind? _"Yes, you can." The general said reluctantly. "However, you have to come with us to the Exorcist headquarters first."

"I'll go!"

_Another enthusiastic Exorcist to manipulate, Leverrier must be thrilled. _Tiodoll thought to himself.

"My name is Froi Tiodoll, you will become my student." Tiodoll noted that the boy's enthusiasm was fading slightly upon hearing that the weird old man before him was going to be his teacher. "And the two children behind me are Daisya and Marie. They are your Senpais. So, what's your name?"

"Kanda Yuu."

* * *

Moko-chan (The author): So how is it? (Stretches due to long rooting in front of notebook)

Pika(The editor-cum-publisher-cum-first-reader-cum-only-fan-so-far): … … … … … … That's your theory… … Kanda's looking for his sister who is a NOAH?

Moko-chan: You got an issue? It's plausible you know.

Pika: What's with the missing fragment of innocence?

Moko-chan: You'll find out in the future chapters

Pika: The story's called "Before Allen came", why are you focusing on Kanda's past? How about the rest?

Moko-chan: This story contains the plausible answers to MY unanswered questions. And I have more questions about Kanda than the rest. But they'll be in the story too!

Pika: How long is your list of questions anyway? (Moko-chan pulls out a large roll of paper that is capable of clubbing someone else to death) NVM, I don't wanna know.

Pika: By the way, question from _Karush and Yumei Lee: Is there going to be a pairing later?_

Moko-chan:…..

Pika: Moko?

Moko-chan: Ehhh… no. Romance is not exactly my forte.( Especially if you're the kind whose life revolves around grades, homework and school) Besides, the love only blossomed after Allen came, right? (Hoshino-sensei mentioned that he/she would illustrate the meaning of love in D.gray-man)

Pika: True true, Sorry Karush if you are disappointed!

Moko-chan: Hope you readers enjoyed this chapter. Please review and HOSHINO-SENSEI, PLEASE TOUCH ON QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE PLANTED INTO THE FANS' HEADS!!!!!

Pika: By the way, if you guys are wondering…we are really two people, not one person talking to herself.

Moko-chan: We are JASDEBI!

Pika: Don't mind her, she's crazy.


	3. Becoming a Noah, becoming an Exorcist

Moko-chan's notes: D. gray man is owned by the great Hoshino Sensei. This chapter… is kinda unnecessary, I feel. But since Kanda's past is like a total mystery to us, I just thought it was interesting. It also gives us a better idea of what happened in the previous chapters. Enjoy!

_A few days before Chapter 1-All dialogue is in Japanese and Kanda would be referred to as Yuu for this chapter._

"Aneue! Chichioya and hahaoya and telling you to go to the hall!" Yuu shouted at the paper door of his sister's room. "I'm coming in if you don't respond!" He waited for about a minute outside the door, not getting a reply.

"Aneue!" he called in a half-whining voice. Still no response. Yuu knew that his sister was in her room. She always hid in her room when she was escaping something, in this case, match-making. She was 16 years old after all, old enough for marriage, his parents have said.

"I'm coming in…" Yuu repeated. He slid the door open slowly to give his older sister a warning in case she was changing her clothes. _Even if she was changing, _he thought, _at least respond. Or someone would think she's dead or something._ When he opened the door completely, he spotted a roll of bandages on the floor. He looked at his sister and saw that she has bound bandages around her forehead in an amateurish method.

"Are you hurt?" Yuu asked worriedly. "I'll get hahaoya." But before the younger boy could leave the room, his sister pulled him back inside and slid the door shut.

"I'm fine." His sister, Aiko, said gently. After seeing her younger brother's anxious face, she squatted down in front of him so that his dark blue eyes would meet her dark purple ones. "Yuu, I'm really really all right, so don't worry about me, okay?"

"Then what's with the bandages?"

"I bumped my head." Aiko said, dismissing the matter. Yuu looked at her in disbelief. "Okay, so I cut it a little."

"It won't leave a scar right?"

"What? Are you worried that my face would be disfigured?" Aiko laughed at the triviality of the question. "If my face is scarred, then I wouldn't need to get married."

"Why don't you want to get married? Chichioya and hahaoya want you to. They said you'll be happier that way."

"I won't be happy." Yuu's sister said stubbornly. "They just want to be related to some powerful noble. Anyway, forget about me, shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?"

"Huh? Why?" Yuu asked.

"You've been sleepwalking. All the way to the edge of the town." Aiko stood up as her legs started to ache from the squatting position. "And you been holding Chichioya's sword the whole time. But I don't expect you remember since you were sleeping the whole way."

"But at least I didn't hurt myself. Unlike some other _baka_(idiot) " Yuu protested.

"If this goes on, hahaoya's going to get a Shinto Priest to bless the both of us." His sister laughed. She had a nice laugh, that's one of the factors that brought many suitors to the Kanda residence. Then she started pushing her younger brother out of the room. "Anyway, tell Chichioya and Hahaoya to get my "Suitor" out of the house or I'm not coming out of my room." After Yuu was out of the room, she closed the door behind him.

_Chichioya and Hahaoya should have known how stubborn she is. _Yuu thought as he walked towards the hall.

Meanwhile, in Aiko's room, Aiko pulled the bandages away from her throbbing forehead in front of the mirror. _I can't let the rest of them see this._ She thought as blood flowed slowly from cross-shaped cuts on her forehead. Tears flowed down her face as the wounds stung and as she tried to suppress the urge to kill her beloved younger brother.

_In the end, aneue still refused to leave her room._ Aiko had somehow locked her door, preventing the rest of the household from going in even after all suitors have been chased away. She had let Yuu in the day before yesterday but yesterday, she refused to see him at all. _At least she's eating. _He thought optimistically.

"Yuu! Are you listening to me?" His mother snapped over dinner.

"Hai!" Yuu looked at his mother. She had been feeling stressed over the past few days.

"I'm going to get Shinto saishi to bless the both of you tomorrow. Your aneue has been acting weird, I think she's possessed." Yuu's father made a sound of disapproval. He did not believe in such things. "And Yuu, you have been sleepwalking continuously for the past few nights, I think something's wrong with you too." His mother said in an exasperated manner as she used her chopsticks to give her husband her piece of fish.

"Maybe Aiko's just being rebellious." The father said. "She'll come out of her room soon."

"How about Yuu? He took your katana even after you locked the room." The mother pointed out.

Yuu ate his food quietly as his parents were debating whether their children were possessed or not. _I wonder why I keep taking chichioya's katana with me._ Every time he slept walk, he would hear this little voice telling him to go out and look for something and then he would wake up to find his parents scolding him for going out in the middle of the night.

_Huh?_

There were explosions coming from outside their house. Yuu's father ran to the door and opened it. Objects were floating outside their house. Yuu looked out from behind his father. The objects were large metal orbs with pale white masks stuck onto them. _The masks look like they're screaming._ He found himself thinking.

His father slammed the door shut. "Take your things, we're being attacked!" He shouted. The servants scattered around to grab their meager belongings. Yuu ran off to his room to get his own belongings. As he passed the room containing his father's belongings, he suddenly stopped. _Chichioya's katana, _he thought.

He tugged the door. It was locked. Then a glow emitted from something inside the room and the door slid open. _The lock must have broken_. He took the katana and left the room. Then something else exploded nearby. He could see one of the objects floating over the wall outside his house. He abandoned the idea of getting his belongings and went to his sister's room instead.

"Aneue! Open the door! We're being attacked." Yuu shouted. Then he spotted the food that his mother has left outside his sister's room. It was untouched. _Shimata! Did she faint?_ He was about to slide the door open when Aiko slid the door open first. He looked up at his sister's face, the bandage was gone revealing her unmarked forehead but something was wrong. Her purple eyes did not reflect the liveliness that they once had. They looked dead.

"They're here already?" Aiko said softly as she gazed at the metallic monsters. "They look beautiful." _Beautiful? Those things are wrecking our home!_ Yuu stared at his sister. Then Aiko walked off, towards the entrance of their home.

"Aneue!" Yuu ran after his sister.

At the entrance, Yuu saw his parents. "Hurry up!" His mother screamed. Yuu was about to run to them when he felt his sister's hand on his shoulder. Beams of light fell from the sky, striking his parents and the house's servants. Yuu shouted for his parents and tried to go to them but Aiko held him back.

"Mi-te. (Look)" Aiko whispered.

Dark pentacles formed on the bodies of the fallen residents of the Kanda household. As the bodies completely turned black, they crumbled into pieces. Yuu fell to his knees and stared at the clothes that remained on the ground and as the dust of the dead flew away.

"No…Hahaoya, Chichioya." He felt hot tears run down his cheeks and his vision started to blur.

"They're dead." Aiko said in a harsh voice, different from her usual gentle one. "But don't worry, you'll join them soon."

The metallic orbs surrounded Yuu, their guns projected in his direction. The katana in his hand started to glow and he remembered no more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yuu's next memory was that of his sister standing next to him. He was lying on the ground. _Chichioya's sword feels so light, it was always heavy before. _He thought.

"Unlucky." Aiko said suddenly. "You could actually use that rusty old thing."

Then she crouched down next to her younger brother. She reached one slender hand towards the katana and took something from it. Yuu heard a faint sound of something snapping off.

"I guess it would be more painful if you stayed alive." She bent down so that Yuu could see her face. Crosses started to appear on her foreheadand her skin turned gray. Yuu wanted to look away from his sister's now horrifying face but he could not move.

"Let's play a game, if you find me, I'll let you fight me. If you kill me, you win and I'll give this back to you. If you don't, I'll kill you." She said smiling, holding a small glowing fragment between her thumb and index finger.

_Why? Why are you doing this? _Yuu wanted to ask her so many questions but the darkness swallowed him first.

When Yuu came to, there were two older boys in the same room as he was.

(English) "Hey, you woke up!" The boy with markings under his eyes said.

Yuu didn't know what he was feeling; he just didn't want to be with these strange people.

He ran out, back to where his home used to stand.

Aiko stepped through the crack, entering a large strange house. She walked to one room where there were 14 chairs around a polygonal table. _Now this feels like home._

"Welcome!" said the Millennium Earl in a very cheerful voice. He turned to the other Noahs. "Let us welcome another child to our wonderful family! Now, how should we address you?"

"Kanda Aiko, Noah of Pride."

Pika:……

Moko-chan: Now why are you quiet again?!

Pika: I'm shocked. (Moko-chan hits Pika across the head to bring her out of the shock.)

Moko-chan: Anyways, FYI, the name Kanda Aiko belongs to a real person. I was in a Japanese hotel (in Hokkaido) when I turned on the television. It was the news and the name of the news presenter was Kanda Aiko. (I apologize wherever you are for using your name)

Pika: Speaking of hotels, you were drooling in the one in Jigoku Dani, weren't you?

Moko-chan: Because they were advertising the D.gray-man DVDs and there was this wonderful picture.

Pika: Of?

Moko-chan: Of Allen, Lena Lee, Kanda and Lavi wearing Santa Claus suits over their exorcist coats (drools) and now I can't find this picture anywhere. They were giving the postcard out with their DVDs…

Pika: Obsession… I hope you readers enjoyed this chapter as much as how Moko enjoyed typing it. Please review!

Moko-Chan: And a Happy Christmas and Merry New year to all! (My friend taught me this line.)

Extra: I altered the last portion a bit. It's not possible for Aiko to be the youngest child because Skin only became a Noah 3 years before D.Gray-man :p. Stupid mistake, should have read the Manga more carefully.


	4. The Black Order

Moko-Chan: Hoshino-Sensei owns D.gray-man and its characters. Finally, the fourth chapter of D.gray-man. It's a kind of mundane Chapter, a bit like when Allen first entered the order. ENJOY!

* * *

The gondola rocked gently as it moved up the water canal to the back entrance of the Black Order. Daisya leaned over the side of the boat, considering if he should splash water over the rest of the passengers.

"Don't even think about it." Marie warned him.

"Aww…But I'm bored." Daisya whined. "This trip is too bloody long."

The journey from Japan to the Black Order required the travel from Japan to China by ship and the train journey from China to North Europe. This trip took about five months, but it's not like the General and his students had anything to gripe about. (Except Daisya, of course, it's his hobby, second to talking.) Tiodoll took this time to equip Kanda with some English so that he could communicate with the other people in the Order. He also taught Daisya and Marie some basic Japanese so that the lack of communication would not last the whole journey.

_So that you can communicate _Daisya thought. _Communicate my foot._ Ever since, they left for Home, his new junior had refused to speak unless spoken to. It was either the way he was brought up, the communication barrier or he was just too lazy to talk to anyone else. _My guess is option 3._

The boat finally reached the staircase which leads to the main building. Daisya jumped out immediately while the rest climbed out behind him.

"Ah. It feels good to be back home." Tiodoll said. "Daisya-kun, Maa-kun, both of you can leave first. I'll be bringing Yuu-kun to see Chief Leverrier."

"Don't call me Yuu." Kanda said angrily.

_Here we go again._ Every time the General called Kanda by his given name, he would be as irritated as a cat that got its tail stepped on. Daisya and Marie had learnt to call Kanda by his surname instead but their master had insisted on addressing him as Yuu because _fathers_ don't address their _children_ by their surnames.

Tiodoll ignored the statement and said "We'll be going first."

As the two walked off, Daisya smirked to himself.

"Hope the kid survives meeting the moustache man."

* * *

Kanda surveyed his surroundings as they were walking to the Chief's office. He noticed that most of the people around the Order were either wearing white coats or lab coats. _This place is huge. I wonder if anyone got lost here before._

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Kanda could see nothing but desks and paper. Majority of the people here donned white lab coats. They were rushing around lugging stacks of paper and some people lay slumped across their desks, mug in hand.

"The Chief's office is behind." Tiodoll pointed out. "You'll be going there more often in future."

Tiodoll knocked on the door. Kanda had the feeling that his master did not like the chief all that much.

"Come in." A cold voice was heard.

When they entered, Kanda noticed the great contrast between the chief's office and its surrounding environment. Though, like outside, there were ceiling-to-floor shelves which were full of books, the floor was free from paper. It was probably free from everything. The desk was uncluttered and it lacked the presence of coffee mugs, it was almost as though no one used this room before. When Kanda saw the man sitting behind the desk, he felt an immense dislike almost at once.

_Reminds me of the cheating merchants who keep trying to enter my house to sell their wares. _Kanda thought to himself. _Must be the moustache._

"So," Leverrier began, "This is the boy from that isolated country." Tiodoll nodded curtly. "Does he understand English?"

"Yes, I taught him on the way back here."

"Fine, pass the Innocence to Hevlaska later; it's in its raw form, is it not?"

Tiodoll nodded again.

"Then there is no point checking for the Synchro rate. You mentioned in the phone call that the innocence was originally in a katana so I guess that's the weapon it would have to be forged into. In the meantime, you can train the boy."

"I was planning to."

"I know how to use a katana already." Kanda interrupted suddenly. Tiodoll held a hand up in a motion to silence his student.

"He's an orphan? No kin at all?" Leverrier asked not looking at the two.

"None at all, they all been killed by Akuma."

"Good, the last thing I need is for another brat to start whining for his family members. I don't expect any trouble from this one. Now leave."

_Does he think that children can't understand what he is talking about? _Kanda thought as he felt his face go hot. _He thinks it's good that my family is dead?_ He suddenly thought about his sister. _Aneue… I know you're still alive. Where are you?_

Tiodoll turned and left, pulling Kanda behind him by the hand, snapping him out of his thoughts.

* * *

Tiodoll had asked Daisya to bring Kanda to the cafeteria for dinner while he handled some matters. On the way to there, Daisya saw a look of irritation on his junior's face. "I take it that you don't like the moustache man." Daisya said.

"Huh?"

_Oh yeah, he only just picked up English._ Don't use phrases that are too complex, Tiodoll had said. "You don't like the Chief, right?" Daisya rephrased.

"Hai. Where's Marie?" Kanda asked.

"He's in his room, said something about prayers."

When the duo reached the cafeteria, Daisya introduced Kanda to Jeryy.

"Yo, chef, we have a new exorcist."

The Indian chef leaned over the counter and upon looking at Kanda, exclaimed, "Oh my, what a pretty child! You're the second kid to come in after a long time."

"Who's the first?" Daisya inquired.

"That one over there." Jeryy pointed at a girl who was sitting between two Finders. She had disheveled dark-green hair framing a pale pointed face and was wearing a black dress.

"She's looks like she's been crying a lot."

"She has been crying, since she got here. It breaks my heart just looking at the poor kid." One would have expected Jeryy to whip out a handkerchief and start blowing his nose.

* * *

_Good, the last thing I need is for another brat to start whining for his family members._ Kanda remembered Leverrier saying. _I guess she's the one Leverrier been talking about._

Then Jeryy continued and said to Kanda, "But now, I guess it's good that you're here."

"What makes you say that?" His Senpai asked.

"Because I think that little girl is lonely, but now, there's another _girl _here, I'm sure she can find a friend."

There was a few seconds of stunned silence before Daisya roared with laughter, causing many heads to turn.

"Jeryy-san, Kanda's a _boy_!"

"Whoops! I'm sorry." Jeryy apologized to Kanda. "You looked so cute so I assumed that you were a girl."

Daisya continued laughing until Kanda kicked him hard in the shin. "Ow! Hey! What did you do that for?"

"Che, bakayaro." Kanda muttered under his breath.

"What would you like to eat?" Jeryy asked Kanda before a mini scuffle could break out. "I can cook anything." He added.

Kanda thought for a while and then decided to settle for his favourite food. "I want Tempura Soba."

"Okay!" Jeryy agreed cheerfully and went to his kitchen.

"Oi! Don't forget about me, I want fish and chips!" Daisya shouted after the chef.

While waiting for his food, Kanda found himself looking at the girl. She was wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. It made Kanda wonder if she could eat with all that crying. Then he realized that her right wrist was tied to the left wrist of the person who was sitting on her right. _It's as though they are preventing her from running away._

"Here's your Soba!" Jeryy said happily as he put the tray on the counter.

Kanda took the tray and went to find a place to eat while his Senpai was complaining that his chips took too long.

* * *

Moko-chan:…..What a mundane chapter. Actually I had a bit of a writer's block while writing this.

Pika: Looks like you just introduced Lenalee. So she and Kanda came in at about the same time?

Moko-chan: Yeah. In chapter 138, Kanda mentioned that she's always ran over to his room whenever she crossed paths with Leverrier so I believed they entered the order around the same time.

Pika: I realize that you're not hyper today.

Moko-chan: I'm bored. And I have to go back to school soon and that means..

Pika:?

Moko-chan: Piles of schoolwork, projects, extra lessons! ARGHH! I won't have as much time to type my fanfiction! WAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

Pika: Ehhh. Nevermind. Please review, folks! Also, please be patient as Moko would not be able to update as often.

Moko-chan: I'll be lucky if I can update one chapter per month.


	5. Separation

Moko-chan: D.gray-man belongs to Hoshino Sensei. This chapter is how Lenalee entered the order. (Let's give Kanda a break)

* * *

_11 years ago- Language is chinese_

_Not again, please, not now._ A Chinese youth ran out of a village, carrying his young sister in his arms. The village was nothing but glowing red embers and flames. Every hut and house was engulfed in flames, the ground charred black and its residents turned to dust by the very same monsters that slain the youth's parents three years ago.

_Damn it! Father and mother gave me the responsibility to take care of Lenalee. I can't even fight those things! _

"Komui ge-ge(Older brother), are we going to die?" the younger sister asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"No, we won't die." Komui comforted her. _Even if I die, I won't let you die with me._

He ran to the forest near the mountains and put his Lenalee down. The akuma were still hovering above the village, just about two kilometers away from the forest. _There's no way anyone else is still alive in that village._ Komui knew that he had to somehow get his sister to safety. He remembered that there was a mountain path from here to the next province, Sichuan.

"Lenalee, there's a mountain path over there." Komui began, "Go ahead first, I'll catch up with you later." _I need to make sure that none of the monsters follow._

"NO!" Lenalee cried. "I want Komui ge-ge to stay with me." She hugged her brother's leg. "It's safer with ge-ge."

When Lenalee hugs Komui's leg, she's as hard to push away as a Giant Panda and its baby. "Fine, we'll go together then." Komui patted his sister's head. "I won't go anywhere else."

* * *

The mountain path used to be full of carts and street vendors trying to sell their goods but it was now empty.

_If only we had a horse, I really doubt we can last the whole way with no food or water. _Komui thought. He looked back at the village, which no longer burned. The akuma were drifting off towards other directions. _But there's no other way._ He gritted his teeth and went up the path, carrying his sister.

Then, a spike shot out of the ground, narrowly missing Komui by a hair. Komui quickly moved out of the way, pushing his back towards the mountain face, hugging a terrified Lenalee tightly.

The ground broke open and a metallic humanoid object pried its way out. One of its arms was a spike and the other a club and it was on its hunches, like a rabbit.

"Oh, I actually missed." The akuma opened its mouth and spoke. "Why didn't you stand still, then I could eat some kebab."

_That thing can talk?_ Komui had always thought they were idiotic killing machines with a lack of intelligence. But the one in front of him actually sounded intelligent, somewhat.

"Please let us go." Komui demanded. A monster was not a subject to negotiate with. But either way, he and Lenalee could die. He could at least try.

"Let you go? You don't want me to eat you both? But I'm hungry."

Komui put his sister down. "Then why not you just eat me? My sister isn't even big enough to be called a snack." Komui could see his sister protesting through her eyes.

"Just eat you and let the little one go?"

"Yes."

The akuma paused for a moment, thinking. Komui signaled for Lenalee to go but she stayed rooted to where she was standing. Then the akuma laughed manically.

"Foolish human, do you think I would actually listen to you?" It then pounced at Komui, pinning him to the ground.

"LENALEE! GO NOW!"

Lenalee turned and ran. The akuma looked at her and seemed confused for the moment on whether it should eat its bigger prey first or go after the smaller one. The akuma decided and leapt off Komui to pursue Lenalee.

However, before it could even grab the young girl, a shadow appeared above the akuma and it was stabbed through by a spear. It fell immediately, twitching before it lay on the ground motionless. The siblings' savior pulled the spear out of the akuma.

_Amazing._ Komui thought.

"Are you both alright?" The spear wielder asked. He was wearing a black coat with a rose cross on it.

"Yes. Thank you." Komui said, still in awe. Lenalee ran up to Komui and hugged him.

"Stupid ge-ge." She said between sobs. "Don't do that again."

"I won't." Komui said with a smile.

"Sorry to interrupt this touching moment, but may I bring you both to somewhere safe first?" The spear wielder said impatiently.

"Sure."

* * *

The spear wielder brought Komui and Lenalee to a bend on the Mountain path. Then he ran his hands over the rock face, as though trying to feel for something. He stopped after a well and shouted at the rock face.

(English)"Johans! It's me, Rimse! Let me in!"

That portion of the rock face glowed for a while, and then disappeared, revealing a cavern. Rimse walked in and the siblings followed. Lenalee clung to Komui's arm tightly as they walked. After they all have entered, the rock face reappeared.

The one called Johans greeted his friend. He was wearing a black coat that was the same as Rimse's.

(English)"So you did find people after all. Must be lucky to actually be alive." Johans said with a smirk.

Komui and Lenalee looked at the two other people talk to each other in a foreign language. Komui guessed it was English, a language that he and his sister only knew a little. Rimse then turned to the pair of siblings.

(Chinese)"We can bring both to the next town where we can get to the Asian Branch. It's not too far from here. The people there would take care of the both of you."

"Asian Branch?" Komui questioned.

"The Asian Branch of the Black Order. The Black Order is an organization which fights akuma, the monsters that you saw just now. We use innocence to fight them. Innocence are basically weapons like my spear and that guy's weapon which can create empty spaces." Rimse explained.

_So that's what happened just now. I almost thought it was magic._ Komui thought.

After a while, a small humming sound could be heard.

(English) "Johans! What the heck is that sound?" Johan's scrambled to his luggage and pulled out a pair of black heeled shoes.

"It's the innocence we got from the Asian Branch a few days ago. They crafted it into a weapon and they wanted us to take it back to the main branch." He held the pair of shoes and examined it. "It's reacting to one of them."

He walked up to Komui and Lenalee and held the shoes in front of them. The shoes hummed softly in front of Komui but when Johans held the shoes in front of Lenalee, it hummed loudly and vibrated a bit.

"Rimse, thank the lords you saved them. I think this girl's an exorcist! The Innocence reacted to her!" Johans said excitedly to his partner.

(Chinese) "What is he saying?" Komui asked Rimse with an anxious tone.

"Your sister is compatible with that Innocence. She may be an exorcist." Rimse said briefly.

Komui pulled Lenalee back. "What do you mean by Exorcist?"

Rimse let out a very audible sigh and then answered. "People like us, people who fight akuma. Look, your sister has to come with us to the main branch."

"I won't allow it." Komui said firmly.

"This is not for you to decide." Rimse shot back. Komui made Lenalee stay behind him as Rimse pulled out his spear.

He then ran forward suddenly, grabbed Komui's collar and push Komui face first against the wall. Komui tried to wrench himself out of Rimse's grasp but the Exorcist's grip was too strong.

(English) "Johans! Take the girl and go to Chongqin. I'll go there later!" Rimse ordered Johans.

Johans took his luggage and opened the entrance to the cavern. He then grabbed Lenalee's wrist and tried to pull her with him.

(Chinese) "Komui ge-ge!" Lenalee shouted. She jerked her hand out of Johans' grip and ran towards her brother but Johans wrapped his free arm around her waist and brought her out of the cave.

(English) "Rimse, you better hurry up." Johans then went off with Lenalee. Komui could hear Lenalee screaming for him for a while and then the sound died off.

Rimse let go of Komui and he sighed again.

(Chinese)"I'll bring you to Yibin where the Asian Branch is. From there…" Before he could finish his sentence, Komui tried to punch him but Rimse caught his fist.

"Don't you think of taking my sister anywhere." Komui spat.

"It's not like I have any other choice. Even if I didn't bring her the Order, someone else would find out eventually."

"She has to fight those monsters!" Komui shouted. "She's only a child and you're letting into that maniacal fight?"

Rimse released Komui's fist and backed off. He also put away his spear and then he sighed yet again.

"Look, I hate separating people from their families. But your sister is chosen to fight this war."

"By whom? God?" Komui demanded.

"Well, yes. If you listen to me, I can tell you a way in which you can see your sister again."

"What?"

"When I bring you to the Asian Branch, you can work there. It's not like you have a home left anyway." Rimse looked at Komui for a while and went on. "You'll probably die if you decided to work as a Finder, you look weak." Rimse said bluntly.

_What the heck is a finder? And he went in such a round about way just to insult me?_

"However, you look intelligent enough to work in the Science department. If you work hard enough, you may make it to the Main Branch's science department in 10 years time."

"I can't wait for 10 years." Komui said slowly.

"That's your problem. If you try and follow us to bring your sister, we may have no choice but to use force."

"And what? Kill me?"

"Yes, for interfering with our work. One sacrifice is nothing."

_Is there really no other way? Damn it._ Komui thought, digging his nails into his palm.

"So do you want to die or go to the Asian Branch?" Rimse asked.

"I'll go to the Asian Branch…" Komui answered.

"Smart choice."

"And I won't take more than 10 years to get to my sister." Komui finished his sentence in a determined tone.

* * *

_Present_- _A few days after Chapter 4_

"Stop that girl!" Lenalee heard the chief shout at the scientists and Finders as she ran from the lab. They wanted to check her invocation levels again but every time they did that, they would try to sedate her.

_If only I can take these heavy shoes off. But if I did, they'll catch up._

Lenalee has been in the Order for almost a month. The scientists kept wanting her to activate the Black boots but she found the process uncomfortable and furthermore she wanted to go find her brother. She had asked the people there so many times to let her see her brother but they wouldn't let her. Now, the Chief ordered her to be watched at all times in case she tried to escape from the Order.

She ran up a few levels to a round corridor with many doors. She tried to open some of the doors but they were locked.

_Please, let me hide in one of them._

Then when she ran up another level, she spotted a child around her age looking through the banisters at the commotion below. He coughed slightly and then noticed her looking at him. They both stared at each other for a few moments and then Lenalee heard the sound of boots coming nearer. She opened her mouth and pleaded.

"Help me!"

* * *

Moko-chan: Is it me or are my chapters getting longer and longer?

Pika: They are getting longer.

Moko: Anyways, I finally updated after so long... Please review when you feel like it.


	6. The other Asian Exorcist

Moko-chan: As usual, I do not own D-gray-man. Hoshino-Sensei does. FINALLY, I got to the part where Lenalee meets Kanda. I'm sure it would be a very cute interaction between the two young Asian Exorcists. ENJOY!

* * *

It had been a very hot day but what's bothering Kanda even more was that he was stuck inside his room due to a cold. His master had told him he wasn't allowed to go out of the Order in case his cold gets worse. But he can walk around the Order if he was bored. Not that it was likely.

The young Japanese lay on his bed, trying to get to sleep so that he could "sleep" the cold away. He had been getting frequent colds ever since he left Japan. His senpai theorized that it was the change of environment.

_Stupid European weather._ He thought in frustration. _I hadn't even been able to touch my Innocence ever since I came here and when it's finally forged, I fall sick._

Kanda then sat up on his bed, feeling restless.He hated having nothing to do as it would just make him think about things, in this case, his town and family. Yet he did not want to walk around the Order as the other residents of the Order usually lowered their voices when they saw him. He knew that they were talking about how strange it was that a child, an exorcist even, could actually survive the akuma-infested Japan.

_Strange in a suspicious way, judging by their tone._ He thought. _They think I could be an enemy just because I'm from Japan._

"COME BACK HERE!!!!" The train of thought was halted as Kanda heard someone hollering outside. He got off his bed and left his room to find out what the commotion was.

Through the banisters of the round corridor, Kanda could see finders running around two floors below. They seemed panicked as they scurried around like ants.

Kanda smirked at the rather amusing scene. It was not everyday you see adults running around in circles so ridiculously, looking for something that they could not find. As he was observing the scene below, Kanda noticed someone from the corner of his eye. He turned and saw the little girl who was crying at the cafeteria a few days ago.

She looked winded and was breathing hard. Her dark eyes met his for a moment and she stared with a surprised look on her face. Then Kanda heard the sound of someone coming nearer.

"Help me!" The girl suddenly blurted out.

* * *

Lenalee noticed that the boy seem stunned by her sudden plea. There was no more time, if she could not find a place to hide, she would get caught. Lenalee tried to go past the boy, hoping that his presence might distract the pursuers. As she ran towards his direction, the other child grabbed her arm and suddenly pulled her into the room nearby. He closed the door behind him and locked it.

In the dim light of the room, Lenalee stared at the boy in surprise while he kept his head lowered, listening for the noise outside. Soon, the sound of a few people running by was heard. One of the finders rattled the doorknob and then Lenalee heard him yelling that the door was locked.

"Look somewhere else then, you dolt!" Some other finder shouted. Then the sound of running arose again and silence followed. The boy stood in front of the door for a while and later walked to his bed and sat on it with an 'hmph'.

_He just helped me…_ Lenalee realized. She opened her mouth, ready to thank her savior when he spoke first.

"They're gone now, you can go back out there." He said coldly. Seeing that Lenalee did not make any attempt to proceed out of the room, he continued, "Look, it's not like I'm going to hide you in here forever. I just hid you because I didn't want to look like I was trying to help you."

_Wasn't hiding me helping me? _Lenalee was bewildered by what the boy said.

"Well?" The other dark-haired child said impatiently. "Walk out by yourself or I'll kick you out."

"If you didn't want to look like you were helping me, you could have just ran into your room and pretended nothing happened." Lenalee pointed out suddenly.

The boy paused for a moment and looked at Lenalee. Then he turned away so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye.

"It wasn't intentional."

"You're weird. Other people would be happy to say that they have helped other people." _So he's a nice person after all._

"I told you it wasn't intentional. I wasn't thinking." The boy shot back.

Lenalee giggled. "You're just too shy to admit that you're a helpful person." She could have sworn the boy blushed.

Lenalee walked up to the bed and sat next to the boy. She didn't feel frightened anymore. Somehow, another child's presence made her comfortable.

"My name's Lenalee, my family name is Lee, which is a kind of fruit. What's your name?" She asked.

"Kanda."

"What's your family name?" Lenalee inquired.

"That is my family name." Kanda said shortly. Before Lenalee could ask for the given name, Kanda just said that he's not telling her his given name because she doesn't need to know it.

Then, Lenalee took off her black coloured shoes. "I wish I could throw these away." She said softly.

"Why?"

"If not for these shoes, I could still be with my older brother. The people here keep asking me to use these shoes. I don't even know how to use them."

"Is that Innocence? That means you're an Exorcist as well." Kanda said with slight admiration because Lenalee was allowed to use her Innocence already.

"I don't care about Innocence or Exorcists." Lenalee said, upset. "Those scientists and finders keep forcing me to use the shoes and they punish me when I can't."

"Is that why you cry so much?"

Lenalee didn't say anything. _That's just part of the reason_. She thought. _Mostly, it's because I miss home. I wonder if Kanda misses his home._

"Where do you come from?"

"Japan. You?"

"China. You must be the only other Asian around then. Did you get forced to come here?" Lenalee asked, wondering if Kanda's predicament was the same as hers.

"No. My master brought me here after my home town was destroyed by Akuma." Kanda said, without showing a hint of sadness.

"You're the only survivor?"

Kanda paused for a while and said yes. Lenalee had the feeling that he just lied but she decided to ignore it. _Maybe he just doesn't want to talk about it._

"That's why I'm going to become an Exorcist, I want to avenge my family."

_So different._ Lenalee thought. Her own parents and village have been brutally slaughtered by Akuma, but yet all she wants now is to go home, back to her brother. _Our predicaments are completely different._

Then footsteps can be heard again. There were people rattling on the doorknobs of the nearby rooms. The finders were trying to open the locked doors.

"She can't have disappeared, you idiots! Check the rooms!" A familiar voice hollered. It was Leverrier.

Lenalee felt her small frame tremble upon hearing Leverrier's voice. _What am I going to do?_ She panicked.

"Get under the bed!" Kanda hissed.

Lenalee scrambled under the bed, taking the Black Boots with her. Kanda yanked the sheets over the bed to hide her and the heavy footfalls approached.

Someone knocked on the door.

Under the bed, Lenalee heard Kanda open the door.

"What?" She heard Kanda ask rudely.

"Have you seen a black-haired girl?" A finder asked.

"No."

"Really? Okay then."

_Please go away. Go away, go away, go…._

"Search his room." It was Leverrier. "All the other rooms were locked and empty, there was no way that girl could enter. But she could have entered this one."

_Oh no!_

"But this kid said that he hadn't seen her." The finder tried to reason.

"Ignore him. Or has it never occurred to you that a child can tell a fib?"

She heard the Finder's foot steps coming nearer, then it stopped.

"Who gave you the permission to enter my room?" She heard Kanda yelling. Then she heard Kanda give a yelp and it was followed by a thud.

"Search the room."

Lenalee nearly screamed when the Finder looked under the bed and she did when the Finder tried to pull her out.

"Let me go!" Lenalee kicked the finder but her feeble strength barely made him flinch.

"Let her go, you bastards! Can't you idiots see that she's frightened?" Kanda was struggling to get the back of his shirt out of Leverrier's grasp.

"Didn't I say before that I do not expect any trouble from you? Do you want to punished as well?"

"I believe he doesn't. Besides, if he needs to be punished, isn't that for me to decide? I must ask you to unhand my student, Leverrier." Lenalee heard someone calmly say. A queer-looking man approached them. _That must be Kanda's master. _She thought.

Leverrier let go of Kanda. "Alright. Your student was interfering with our work. I hope you would punish him appropriately."

"And your work would be frightening an already frightened child?"

Leverrier shot a deadly look at Tiodoll and told the Finder that they were leaving. Lenalee decided to give up kicking the Finder. It was futile. The finder grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the boy who just possibly became her first friend.

* * *

"Why did you come here for?" Kanda demanded.

"Marie heard a commotion coming from your room, so I decided to come here to check." Tiodoll replied.

"And my punishment?"

"Ah, that? Stay in your room and don't come out till dinnertime."

"Che." Kanda made a clicking sound with his tongue. He turned and walked into his room, slamming the door shut in Tiodoll's face.

* * *

Moko-chan: Yay! Another chapter done. I'm so busy that I never thought this would be possible. Anyway, Pika's not around cos' she has to work so I'll be doing all the talking. 

I've read the D.gray-man Reverse novel not too long ago and I found (deduced) a few interesting facts.

1. Allen can be viciously violent when he wants to. Like choking this broker who was selling souls. (man, Allen looked damn evil)

2. Allen learnt to play cards as his Innocence arm was paralysed after he used it on Mana. It was a form of rehabilitation. (If only all rehabilitation was like this…)

3. Kanda can't drink alcohol. He gets drunk pretty quickly.

4. When's Kanda's drunk, the only person who can make him lose his temper is Allen. (He was fine with Lavi adding weird things into his food!) He also does things he doesn't usually do.

5. Kanda actually admires people.

6. Kanda reads story books. (I'm amazed!)

7. Lavi's eyepatch is not used to cover up an injury! The existence of his right eye is why he could become a Bookman.

8. Lavi's the second biggest eater.

9. Lenalee's dream guy is someone who can eat a lot of food, especially sweet ones, is very strong and dependable, and she does not mind someone who gambles. (Guess who falls under this category. Lavi and Allen. Maybe Cross)

10. Everyone thinks Bak is bald because of his beret. They gave him hair growth tonic for his 'birthday'.

Moko-Chan: And have you all studied the cover of volume 2 carefully? Who do you think is the person in the background? Please Review if you can :)


	7. Invocate

Moko-chan: D.Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-Sensei. (Man, is the comic becoming darker or is it just me? Lvl 4 Akuma!) Anyway, I must be desperate or something. I'm listening to the D.Gray-man OSTs in hope that I get inspired.

* * *

_The missing piece in this Innocence…._

_Is it important, Hevelaska?_

_I cannot say for sure now. But it may cause changes in the Innocence._

_What sort of changes?_

_Any sort of change so the Innocence can stabalise itself. Innocence are like you or I, they are alive and constantly trying to adapt. They are always evolving._

_Then, would it affect Kanda?_

_Worried about your disciple?_

_Of course I am._

_We can only wait… and pray that it is not serious._

Marie strode through the long hallways of the Order, passing one person after another. He heard the footsteps and the voices of those he passed, which mingled with the noises from the kitchen, lab and other various unknown locations which he hasn't been to yet.

But his ears only focused on one sound, the sound of the newest member who got taken under his master's wing. He was making sure that Kanda was following him to the dojo. Apparently, it was his duty for today to teach the newbie how to use his Innocence. _I really hope this goes well._ Marie was not all that fond of Kanda, who, in Marie's opinion, acted like a rude and spoilt brat.

The blind youth held his Kouhai's Innocence in his hand. It was a katana, one of the deadliest weapons which combined swiftness and strength.

_Fitting._ Marie thought to himself with a chuckle. _A Japanese weapon for a Japanese Exorcist._

The pair reached the dojo soon after. The air exhibited stillness like undisturbed water. Hardly anyone goes to the dojo anymore. With the current shortage of exorcists and Akuma's appearing frequently, every individual mission was equivalent to several sessions of intensive training, if one survives, that is.

Marie turned to the direction where Kanda was standing and passed him the Innocence.

"That's going to be your anti-akuma weapon. You seen such a weapon before, haven't you?" Marie asked.

"Of course I have." Came the haughty response. Marie heard Kanda turn the katana a few times over in his small hands, examining the weapon. "It's too large for me."

"You'll grow." _If you are fortunate enough to survive that long._ Marie couldn't help thinking.

"And it's blunt."

"That's because it hasn't been activated yet. As its accommodator, you have to "invocate" it before it can become a proper weapon." Marie explained.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Kanda asked with a tone of slight disbelief.

_Master should really teach Kanda himself. It's really problematic to explain something like this. _

"Well, since you're an Exorcist, it shouldn't be a problem. You just focus your energy and thoughts on the Innocence..." Marie tried to explain.

"And?"

"It activates." The older Exorcist ended, with lack of confidence. He could feel that Kanda was not convinced at all. "Fine, I'll demonstrate."

Marie's own Innocence consists of an earpiece which enhances his already acute sense of hearing and wires, very suitable weapons for someone who relies mainly on his ears.

He steadied his breathing, focusing on the available targets within the dojo. Letting the thin wires run underneath his fingers, he readied them to attack the dojo's practice dummies.

_Innocence, Invocate!_

The lifeless wires sprang to life, each like a waiting python, preparing to strike their prey.

_Noel Organon, Hymn of tears!_

The wires coiled themselves around the wooden dummy and tightened. Then pieces of the dummy fell onto the floor with clunks. The wires slackened and returned to Marie.

"There, something like that."

There was pin-drop silence for a moment and then Kanda gave a slight mocking laugh.

"Heh, what a lousy demonstration."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Marie demanded angrily.

"Your Innocence and mine are completely different. How is that demonstration supposed to help at all?"

"Why don't you try to invocate your Innocence then?"

* * *

_Ah, I just irritated him. _Kanda thought to himself. _Maybe I shouldn't have done that._

The Japanese tried to activate the Innocence. _Invocate._ He thought as he closed his eyes.

Nothing happened.

"It's not working."

"It's not that easy." Marie said, with a slightly less irritated tone. "You have to focus your thoughts on the weapon."

Kanda looked at the katana shaped weapon. _Just focus on it? That's quite similar to what chichioya told me about wielding a blade._

Kanda closed his eyes again and focused his thoughts on the new weapon. _I am going to use this blade to kill Akuma, to take revenge for my family… _

_And find her._

Kanda instinctively placed two fingers on the edge of the dark colored blade. The portion of the blade which he touched glowed with a sound of electricity crackling. He then combed his fingers across the blade from base to point in one stroke, causing the edge of the blade to illuminate. The blade shone radiantly.

Suddenly, Kanda felt a sharp pain shoot up his right arm, the one which was holding the Innocence, and he dropped the sword. The blade landed on the wooden floor with a dull clunk and it reverted back to black again.

The familiar humming of an activated Innocence resonated through the dusty dojo.

_Amazing, Kanda's a fast learner. _Marie thought in amazement. Even Marie himself took about a week before he could invocate his own Noel Organon.

Then Kanda dropped the katana with an "Ittai!"

"Are you alright?" Marie asked as he approached Kanda, who was rubbing his right arm.

"Yeah. I just felt some pain in my arm."

"That's the effect of rebound. It's not surprising, you're only using your Innocence for the first time, so your body's not used to it for a moment."

Marie picked up the katana. "I think you should try again later. Using an Innocence is not something you can learn in one day. If you're not careful, the Innocence can really hurt you."

"Che. Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Are you blind?"

_Kanda never noticed that I'm blind?! _Marie thought his blindness was as obvious as an albino rabbit in a savannah. "Yes. You couldn't tell?"

"You never walk around with anything to guide you." Kanda said. "But you don't seem to look at anything either, so I thought you might be blind or something."

_Do I catch a hint of admiration? _Marie thought. _Maybe he's not such a stuck-up brat._

"And how come you're the one teaching me?"

"Master is busy and Daisya is on a mission, so I was the only suitable candidate." Marie replied with a faint smile.

"Can I try again now?"

"Later." _So many questions. Kanda's still a kid after all._

* * *

In the darker basement of the Black Order, Lenalee was trying to activate her Dark Boots while being scrutinized by the cold eyes of Chief Leverrier. The scientists have told her to focus, but it was not working well.

The activation of the Black Boots have succeeded a few times, however they were never consecutive.

"I can't do it." She said meekly.

The icy pair of eyes glared hard at her. _You are able to do it. Don't try and use this as a feeble excuse to leave the Order." _The eyes seemed to say.

Lenalee stared at her feet. The black shoes remained as they are. She tried to activate them again, praying that this attempt would get her away from the eyes.

* * *

Moko-Chan: 0o

Pika: Yay! Moko is done with this chapter. You took long enough.

Moko-Chan: 0o

Pika: I know you have a lot of school work, preparation for a concert, but you should really make some time for your story.

Moko-chan:0o

Pika: You could cut down on the amount of anime and Manga you view.

Moko-Chan: (rewinds video) o0

Pika: What are you doing?

Moko-Chan: D.gray-man 4th opening. Kanda is so cool….(Blissfully gazes at television screen) Wings….. Allen is so cool... the crown clown is so beautiful.

Pika: I give up. Please read and review.


	8. Home

Moko Chan: D.Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-Sensei. (Mountains of homework… I feel so sick-pukes) TT

* * *

_3 years later…_

This had to be the worst. Definitely.

Kanda crouched on his bed and stared at the wall. The whole time not even glancing at Lenalee who was sobbing very audibly.

_This again…_ Kanda thought to himself. He had already lost count of the number of times she would come crying to him, usually after an encounter with Leverrier, scratch that, that was the only reason.

A few years back, Kanda had once asked her why she was crying. Lenalee just wailed even more pitifully in response and he gave up asking her anything else altogether. He then figured out that the Chinese girl calmed down more quickly if he kept his mouth shut. So that's what Kanda would do every time she cries, shut up and she leaves quickly.

But this time, Lenalee came in bruised, cut, scratched and very traumatised and burst into tears. And the tears would not stop even after nearly an entire hour of silence.

"I want to go home." Kanda ignored Lenalee. She says it quite often, a record of at least once every occasion she shows up in his room.

"I want to home! I hate this place! I don't want to be here!" Lenalee screamed between sobs.

And then the sobbing became even louder.

_If she stays here any longer, she'll probably go mad. _Kanda thought. _Either that, or I will._

"Hey."

The sobbing continued.

"How 'bout I help you leave this place?"

For a moment, just a short one, the hiccupping stopped.

"Really? You're not joking?" Lenalee asked softly.

"Who would want to joke about something like this?" Kanda noticed that Lenalee was looking at him hopefully with tear-filled eyes. That somewhat annoying helpless look was just, to Kanda, plain irritating. It just made people want to extend all their hands to aid the poor girl.

"Don't look at me like that!" Kanda exclaimed angrily.

"Sorry."

"Look," Kanda said with a slight sigh. "I'll get you out of the Order, ok?"

"You promise?"

"Yes." _Do I need to repeat it a dozen times more to make it clear?_ Kanda thought sarcarstically.

Then Lenalee extended her hand out to Kanda and stuck her little finger out.

"Pinky promise?"

Kanda stared at her and gave a 'I-am-not-going-to-do-something-as-stupid-as-that' look. However, Lenalee was determined to make a 'pact'. Kanda relented and stuck his pinky out.

"Yeah, pinky promise."

Kanda just hoped that he'll be able to pull off what he said he was going to do.

* * *

The next night….

The Japanese boy pulled a sweater over his head and tucked Mugen, his katana, into his belt and left his room.

Outside his room, it was silent, so silent that Kanda thought his breathing would probably wake the person in the room next to his. The Order was not bustling with life like in the daytime. It was dark and gloomy that it seemed as though a sheet of frost has formed on the floors and walls of the building.

_Perfect_

Kanda walked across the icy corridor and made his way down to Lenalee's room. If all goes well, Lenalee would be able to leave without anyone finding out until the daybreak, if all goes well that is.

* * *

The chinese girl sat on her bed, wearing a thick sweater and waited, glancing at the clock continuously. It was near midnight already and her body was beckoning her to sleep.

_I can't sleep now. Kanda said he'll get me out. Don't sleep._ Lenalee circled the thought in her head. Lenalee knows that she can consider Kanda her friend however, deep inside, she had her doubts. She tried to escape before and was always caught. Would the help from another child actually get her out?

_Stop thinking like that._ She told herself. _Kanda promised so he'll definitely get me out._

Then a soft knocking came from the door.

"Oi. Open up." She heard Kanda's voice from behind the door. Lenalee scrambled to the door and was about to reach the doorknob when she remembered something very, very critical which she had neglected to mention.

"Umm… Kanda?" Lenalee said, cupping her hands around her mouth, feeling both apologetic and somewhat embarrassed that she forgot something so important. "The finders locked my room from the outside."

"….."

"I can't open the door." The Chinese girl was sure her friend was fuming.

"Che. Baka. Put your hands under the doorknob."

"Eh? Why?"

"Just do it." Kanda demanded.

Lenalee held her hands under the doorknob. Through the wooden door, she heard Kanda muttering something and then the sound of metal against metal. And to her surprise, and a bit of horror, the doorknob fell into her tiny palms. Lenelee stared at the doorknob. _Did he just cut the lock?!_

Kanda opened the door with an irritated look on his face. In his right hand, he held his unsheathed katana and in the other, the doorknob from the other side of the door. "Well?" Kanda said threateningly.

Lenalee looked at Kanda and then put the doorknob down. "Umm…I'm ready to go." Kanda turned and walked down the corridor, with Lenalee tailing behind him.

It was really cold and dark along the winding hallways, and for once, Lenalee felt that her room was a sanctuary.

"Kanda, where are we going?" Lenalee asked, her voice lowered to a barely audible whisper.

"The underground canal, it leads out of the Order." Apparently, Kanda was made familiar the path to the canal because his master made sure that he would bid farewell to his seniors before they left for a mission. In case it was their last.

As they walked downstairs, the little bit of light that has entered through the windows seemed to be snatched away. The younger child hesitated, afraid that any step forward would cause the darkness to swallow her.

Then, Lenalee felt a hand wrap around hers, pulling her forward.

"If you're afraid, then go back." Kanda hissed harshly.

"I'm sorry, I'm the one who wants to leave and yet I…" Lenalee started saying apologetically but was cut off by an irritated "Whatever."

The trickling of water was soon heard. They have reached the underground canal, the way out. The canal was illuminated by two torches and the flames flickered as a draft entered the underground tunnel. A lone boat was tied to the pier.

Kanda then took a pouch from his pocket and shoved it into Lenalee's hands.

"Take the money. I don't know whether it's enough…"

"Where did you get the money?" Lenalee asked in surprise. They were never allowed to go out or anything so there was no reason for them to receive money from the order.

"Allowance from my master." Kanda said curtly. "It's better than nothing."

"But I can't take…" Lenalee began.

"Would you just listen to me?" Kanda almost shouted. "Take the money. I'll help to row you out, you leave and I'll find my way back in." A plan that definitely lacks any planning but a plan nevertheless.

After they got into the boat, Kanda began to untie the cord attaching the boat to the pier. Then, he felt Lenalee tugging on his sleeve.

"What?" Kanda was feeling a bit weary already.

"Why do you want to find your way back in here?" Lenalee asked. Sadness could be detected in her voice.

"Because there is something I want to do here." Kanda replied as he removed the last of the knots. He passed Lenalee an oar. "And there is something you want to do out there. That's why you're leaving and I'm not."

Lenalee accepted that answer. They have their different goals.

"Let's go."

Just as the boat was about to set off, they heard someone yelling and the sound of more than one person running towards the pier.

"Hey, who's there?" The silhouettes of a few finders appeared at the pier.

"Shimata!" Kanda swore.

"Stop right there!" Two of the finders waded into the water towards the children. As one of the finders grabbed the side of the boat, Kanda hit the finder's hand with Mugen's sheath. The finder muttered a string of cuss words, quickly grabbed the hilt of the katana and dragged it, exorcist included, off the boat and into the freezing water.

"KANDA!" Lenalee screamed.

The finder who pulled Kanda into the water dragged him the surface, spluttering and gasping for breath. But somehow, Kanda still managed to yell at Lenalee, despite the possibility of hypothermia.

"Leave now!"

Lenalee feebly tried to move the oars with the little strength that she had. However, before the vessel could even shift a considerable distance, the other finder grabbed her arm and pulled her off the boat. Lenalee only remember plunging into the freezing dark waters.

* * *

When Lenalee woke up, she had been strapped to the bed. She could not move. She was not allowed to move.

"We can't let anything happen to a precious exorcist." Those cold steely people again. _It's useless, useless_. Lenalee thought to herself. _I want to go home._ She thought again and again.

"I want to go home." Lenalee whispered. The scientists would not hear her. They walked out, leaving her in the ward. After they left, Lenalee repeated the sentence to herself again. That was what she wanted to do.

"Please let me go home."

"This is home." This was not the icy voice she always heard. It was familiar, familiar and warm. She looked at the voice's owner. He stroked her long hair gently.

"Ge-ge." She was looking at Komui. Even though her vision was blurry from the tears, it was definitely Komui.

"Sorry for letting you wait, it must have been difficult. But I'll be living with you from now on."

Lenalee wanted to hug her brother, but she was too weak to do so. So she just cried. This time, the tears that flowed were happy tears. For once, the Black Order felt like home.

* * *

Komui entered the office which was soon to be his. In there the previous chief was ordering his previous subordinates to carry his belongings.

"Chief Leverrier." Komui addressed the former head politely.

"Secretary Leverrier." The other man corrected him, reminding the Chinese man that he has already been promoted.

"Secretary Leverrier. So I'll be taking over you now. I hope you don't mind any changes I'll be making to the Order." Komui said cheerfully. "By the way, what happened to the boy who was with Lenalee?"

"You don't have to do anything. He's been appropriately punished already." Leverrier said in a stern tone.

_I'm not hoping to punish the boy. _Komui thought. "Don't you think a punishment is too harsh for a little childish mistake?"

The previous chief walked up to the current one, his cold eyes meeting Komui's warmer ones. "Exorcists are not meant to leave the Black Order. They live to serve the Pope and they will serve the Pope. I do not believe any punishment is too harsh for an Exorcist who tries to betray the Pope."

Leverrier then proceeded to leave the office. He stopped at the doorway and turned to Komui.

"Do you think that the Black Order is a home, Komui Lee? It is merely a headquarters to send Exorcists into battle. The Black Order is not a home to shelter a happy family." Then he left, leaving Komui in the office which would be pristinely clean for the last time.

"Oh really?" Komui smiled to himself. "I'll prove you wrong then."

* * *

Moko-chan: YAY! Finally reached this part of the story. The good stuff are coming :) Please read and review! (And read my one-shot "The Strongest"!)


	9. Wither

Moko-Chan: I don't own D.gray-man, of course. D.gray-man and its characters are Hoshino's belongings.

* * *

6 Months later… (Speeding up time, am I not?)

The Black Order was suddenly a much happier place. With Komui Lee and his "team" (slaves) taking care of the Order, many have forgotten the traumatizing rule of the previous Chief. Sure, the current supervisor's a slave driver, the scientists have to work on unpaid overtime, they are underpaid……but they had fun. At least relatively more fun compard to last time. And Komui's cute younger sister and her coffee provided some alleviation to the suffering.

Lenalee was now willing to train herself and could activate her Dark Boots properly. The problem was that she stuck to her brother whenever she could, not that Komui minded all that much, it was just that she can't be clinging on to him for the rest of her life.

_What if she suffers from separation anxiety on her first mission?_ Komui thought. No, even if it pains Komui to have her leave his side, he must let her be more independent.

"Lenalee, don't you have any friends in the Order?" Komui asked his sister who was getting another mug of coffee for him.

Lenalee paused for a moment and then muttered something under her breath.

"Did you just say something? Nii-san can't lip-read." Komui said cheerfully.

"I don't know if Kanda hates me." Lenalee said, troubled by the fact that her previous escape has, or so she heard, gotten the Japanese Exorcist punished.

"Why would he hate you?"

"Because he got punished for trying to help me leave."

"And have you tried talking to Kanda?"

"Don't dare to."

Lenalee saw an amused look appear on her brother's face. She was about to ask him what he found amusing when Section Chief Reever walked in and dumped a pile of paper onto Komui's desk, if a paper covered wooden structure could be called a desk.

"You need to look through this…" Reever mumbled and then staggered out of the office. The pair of siblings stared as the Australian disappeared. Upon seeing Lenalee's worried face after a resounding crash from the hallway, Komui assured her that Reever would live.

"Now, regarding your friend, here's what you should do…"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Black Order's dojo, Tiodoll's three "children" were sparring with each other. The only casualty of training so far was Daisya, sporting a bruised eye.

"What in the world have I ever done to deserve this?" Daisya muttered as he put an ice pack over his throbbing right eye.

"You pulled Kanda's hair." Marie pointed out.

"It was flitting around; of course I'll try to pull it. Use whatever tactic to stop your enemy, that's what I'd like to say." Then Daisya turned to Kanda. "Ever thought of cutting that hair of yours? It makes you look like a girl!"

"Shut up or I'll hit your other eye, followed by your nose. Your yapping is giving me a headache." Kanda hissed menacingly.

Daisya was about to retort with his usual 'Show your Senpai some respect or I'll tell Master' remark when somebody entered the training grounds.

"Yo, Missus Lenalee. What brings you here?" Daisya greeted the visitor. Marie just said hello while Kanda gave Lenalee a glance before turning away and resumed hitting wooden dummies with Mugen.

"May I speak with Kanda for a while?" Lenalee asked.

"Ask him, don't ask me."

"Kanda, can we talk?"

The Japanese Exorcist kept silent. Lenalee gave a sideways glance at the other two. Daisya took the hint and said softly the Marie.

"She wants to talk to Kanda in private." He said with a smirk. "Let's go!"

As the two older Exorcists walked out, Daisya said in glee, "Our little Kanda has a girlfriend. Can't imagine what she sees in him."

"They're still children. Such things aren't on their minds yet. Besides, they act more like siblings to me." Marie gave his opinion.

"Geez, you're too serious."

"Thank you."

* * *

"What is it?" Kanda finally asked after Lenalee stood behind him for a full two minutes.

"I'm sorry." Lenalee said.

Kanda turned around but did not give any reply. Then, to his utmost surprise, Lenalee bowed.

"I'm really sorry for getting you into trouble. And I didn't even thank you for trying to help me. I got distracted after my brother came and I didn't even try to speak to you. Please forgive me!" Lenalee said with her head lowered.

"Look up." Lenalee heard Kanda say. She glanced up and Kanda thrust Mugen's sheath at her forehead but stopped it a few centimeters before her. Lenalee, a bit horrified, backed up a bit. The raven-haired boy lowered his katana and sighed in exasperation. (Aww, he can't hit her.)

"Sheesh, baka! Don't bow unnecessarily!"

"My brother said that you'll forgive me if I bowed."

"Then go kick him or something. It's not like I asked for an apology." Kanda said.

"Then you're not mad at me?" Lenalee asked.

"I wasn't. Your apologies are pissing me off now."

"I'm sorry."

Kanda glared at Lenalee and she put her hands over her mouth.

"So, we're still friends, right?"

Kanda gave a barely audible "yes". Lenalee smiled happily and then she noticed something strange about the older child.

"Kanda, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just got a headache." His ivory face was as white as a sheet and Lenalee noticed that the hand holding Mugen was trembling. The Chinese girl went up and grabbed Kanda's arm as he started losing his balance. His arm was cold and clammy.

* * *

_What's wrong with me? _It wasn't the first time Kanda had a headache or felt giddiness after activating Mugen. But this one was extremely bad.

There was a queer roaring sound like wind rushing through a tunnel and his vision started blurring. He felt Lenalee wrap her hand around his arm to stop him from falling. She supported him and helped him lie on the dusty ground.

"I'll go get help." Lenalee said anxiously and sprinted off. Kanda looked at Lenalee's retreating back and closed his eyes.

* * *

_So the Innocence is at fault?_

_I would not put it that way. If it had not been tapping on the child's life, it would have become useless._

_Why is there even a piece missing?_

_General Tiodoll does not know and he said that Kanda does not remember._

_But now the Innocence is acting like a parasitic type. _

_No, it's even worse. It is unlike Suman's Innocence. Mugen is absorbing Kanda's life to give itself power, to keep itself stable. _

_How far has the damage gone?_

_I do not know. But if nothing is done soon, the child would surely die._

* * *

Komui walked out of Heveleska's chamber. He has asked the medical team to give Kanda a check-up first and it seemed like the Japanese boy was just ill for no rhyme or reason. But now Komui knew the real cause.

_Who knew Innocence could do something like this? _Komui thought to himself. _Is there even a way to help? It would take a miracle!_

Komui entered his office and saw one of the chefs there.

"Supervisor Komui? We need a bit of help at the cafeteria." The chef looked as though something nightmarish had appeared at the cafeteria.

"Eh, I can't cook." Komui said with a smile. "How about you ask the rest of the Science Department for help?"

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the office, the scientists who have been buried under their paperwork shuddered.

* * *

"It's not that we lack people, it's just that one of the Generals showed up at the cafeteria and he's…uhhh…. Causing a disturbance." The chef clarified.

"Oh really? Which General?"

"General Cross."

_General Cross. _Komui has read his files before. _Doesn't have a very good reputation. _Komui remembered that there was an interesting remark made about General Cross. It could be something that may help with Kanda's situation.

_General Cross knows sorcery._

"Alright. I'll go lend a hand."

* * *

"What do you mean by there's no White Romane Contie Boquets? Isn't the kitchen supposed to be able to produce all kinds of food and beverages so we can have our fill lest it is our last?" A deep husky voice could be heard bellowing loudly.

"But that wine's too expensive!" The head Chef Jeryy squeaked.

"Then get one of your lackeys to go out there and get some!" General Cross Marian demanded.

"Just give him whatever is available, Jeryy-chan." Komui has arrived at the scene.

"Komu-tan…" whined Jeryy.

Cross glanced at the Chinese man who just arrived and upon noticing that he was wearing the white supervisor's coat, grinned. "That mustache man is finally off the hot seat, huh? So the supervisor's job has been promoted from scaring little kids to patrolling the cafeteria." Cross remarked sarcastically.

Komui made a face. _Is it even possible for this person to help? At first glance, he just looks like a drunkard in priest's clothes._

"General Cross, you know sorcery, do you not?"

"What, prying into my private life already?"

"If you do know sorcery, may I make a request?"

Cross made an uninterested face but Komui continued talking anyway. "If you have nothing important going on, I would like you to come to my office. There's something I need to discuss."

The General ran a gloved hand through his red hair and leaned over the cafeteria counter. "Where's my wine?"

Jeryy passed Cross a bottle of red wine. Cross uncorked it and took a swig.

"Bah, this trash is only good enough to rinse my mouth."

"General Cross." Komui addressed Cross in a strict tone.

Cross, bottle in hand, strode pass Komui. "I know where the ruddy office is." Then he went off.

_Great. This is going to be difficult. I wonder if General Cross would be moved if he knew that a life was involved here._

Komui left the cafeteria and made his way to his office.

* * *

As Komui entered his office, he saw Cross on the couch, drinking the red wine. Cross, seeing Komui enter, cast him a glance and asked, "So what is so important that you must demand my presence, huh?"

Komui took a deep breath before answering. "It's about one of the younger exorcists."

"If you want me to take a brat under my wing to teach him sorcery, you can forget it. I'm not planning to do anything like that, they would just pull me down with their idiocy."

"It's not like that. Besides, he already has a master."

"Who?"

"General Tiodoll."

"Oh, that old man with a son complex?"

"That's beside the point." Komui said, trying to steer back to the original topic. "One of General Tiodoll's disciples, there is something wrong with his Innocence."

"And do I look like I am an expert in Innocence?" Cross asked, eyebrow raised.

"I'm not asking you to study it." Komui said shortly, a bit annoyed with Cross' manners, or rather, the lack of it. "Because of the flaw in that child's innocence, it is now taking his life in order to function. As a result, his lifespan is being rapidly shortened. If this goes on, he would die before he can even carry out his first mission. I was hoping that your sorcery would be able to lengthen his lifespan."

"So you could use him for a longer time? Seriously, you're no different from that bas…"

"No! It's not like that!" Komui interrupted Cross. "I'm not lengthening his lifespan for something like that. I just want him to live longer, because children like him simply do not deserve to die early."

"And at the same time, he would be able to fight the war, isn't it?"

Komui fell into slience, not knowing how to rebut that statement. It was true, as they extend Kanda's life, he would inevitably be thrown into the war.

"Anyway, lucky for you all, I do have a solution, extending the brat's life, that is."

"You do? Then how…"

"_However_," Cross emphasized that word. "That does not mean I will. I'll have a talk with Tiodoll first before I decide." Cross said before taking his leave, abandoning the empty wine bottle on the cluttered desk.

* * *

Moko-Chan: YAY! I finally updated another. (It has taken way too long) :p Read and review please.


	10. Bloom

Moko-Chan: Yep, yep. As per usual, D. Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-Sensei.

* * *

Froi Tiedoll was not the kind of man who would regard anyone badly. No matter how horrible or dislikable their behavior may be, he would somehow find the nicer, brighter side to them. However, the man in front of him now was different, no words could describe how Tiedoll felt about the red-haired General except for great distaste.

Marian Cross had requested for Tiedoll to meet him in the Black Order's lounge so that they could have an important discussion regarding his youngest disciple. Apparently, Cross said that he could provide some hope to the situation. If not for the fact that his disciple's life was at stake here, Tiedoll would have scoffed.

"You know, if you don't cut down on smoke and drink, it would be recorded that 'General Cross died of cancer' instead of 'General Cross passed away gallantly while battling the Millennium Earl.'" Tiedoll pointed out when he noticed that Cross lit another cigarette.

"I didn't come back to hear you preach, old man. Do you want to hear me out or not?"

"By all means, speak." Tiedoll said, his mouth curled to a smile but his eyes still showed suspicion and extreme disapproval.

"Now I understand that one of your kids is in quite a fix, a non-parasitic Innocence draining his life and all that. And I may have a solution to alleviate the situation."

"And the catch?"

"You always think there's a catch whenever I start being nice, don't you?" Cross asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Because 'Being nice out of goodwill' is not in your dictionary." Tiedoll replied, still smiling.

"There's no catch since my solution is not perfect. It's your disciple who's going to suffer when something goes wrong anyway."

Tiedoll's smile faded at this sentence. _So, after all, it is Yuu-kun who would have to bear the brunt of the consequences. The master can't do anything for the student. _He thought to himself.

"However, I shall offer some alternative solutions before you decide that I should use my hocus-pocus. It's troublesome, tiring and so god damn unreliable that I rather not do it unless I really have to."

"I believe whatever solutions you offer should be decided upon by my disciple, not by me."

"I rather discuss this with someone who can think rationally. And I know that children like going by their guts rather than their brains." Cross said. "Option 1. Give that brat his Innocence back, send him on a mission. At least he dies an Exorcist."

"You should know that I wouldn't even consider that a solution."

"You won't? I would." Cross said with a cruel smirk. "Option 2. Take the Innocence away. There are other jobs in the Black Order besides being an Exorcist."

"No. Definitely not."

"Option 3. Send the brat back to his home country. He wouldn't need to participate in this Holy war and he gets to die where he was born. Or do you want to throw another child into the war?"

Tiedoll reflected upon Cross's question. Who would want to participate in a war? Tiedoll had always felt immense sadness whenever a new staff member entered the Black Order, especially if the new member was to become an Exorcist. They are the ones who would face the enemies, depending only on themselves. At least, other members like the Finders can cling onto the hopeful wish that someone would save them soon.

_But sending Yuu-kun back to Japan is like sending him to hell. A worse hell than if he stayed here._

"I rather throw my disciple into a war than let him go back to Japan. A child with no kin? He'll definitely get preyed on by Akuma there."

Cross paused for a moment, wine glass in hand and cigarette ashes falling onto his lap. Then he gave a wolf-like grin.

"Your brat's from Japan?" Cross laughed as though it was the funniest joke he had ever heard. "Interesting. Very interesting. Who would have imagined that Japan had enough non-Akumas to produce an Exorcist?"

"I'll save your little twerp. I want to see how far the Black Order can use someone from the Land of the Sun."

"You don't have to make everything sound that negative." Tiedoll commented.

"That's what the Order does. Makes use of every Exorcist like their tools and squeeze them dry. Which is why I don't pick up disciples."

"For now. You would, sooner or later." Tiedoll said even though he personally felt that it was difficult to imagine any Exorcist surviving under Cross' guidance.

"You can mock me then. May I now explain how this sorcery, if done correctly, works?" Cross said, dragging the conversation back to its original topic.

"I'm eager to hear it." A rare sarcastic remark from the kind old man.

* * *

_Blood to petals, petals to blood_

_The stronger blooms, the weaker wilts_

_Both are imprisoned by these chains_

_When one completely perishes, the other will follow_

_(Excerpt from some spell book)_

* * *

"A spare battery, in other words." Cross concluded. "It would probably give your disciple a good twenty years or so assuming that he does not suffer any fatal injury."

"His Innocence is absorbing his life." The older General gently reminded Cross.

"Around ten years then. Better start teaching him how to guard his vitals then."

"The catch then? You said that the solution's not perfect."

"The life binding spell would give your disciple some sort of rapid regeneration. Meaning that he would recover from any injury he receives more quickly than normal." Cross stubbed out his cigarette on the table and finished his drink.

"Immortality?"

"That's only what desperate people call it. An immortal with a very short life is how I rather put it." Cross got up from the couch and went towards the door of the lounge.

"You seem sure that I have accepted this method." Tiedoll said as Cross opened the door.

"If I'm not mistaken, you said," Cross used his fingers to make quotation marks, "I rather throw my disciple into a war." There's no other option left besides death, no?" The door closed with a squeak and the General left the lounge.

* * *

For some reasons, Cross absolutely loathed the Black Order. Maybe it's because he had witnessed so many people, some still wide-eyed youths, being thrown straight into their graves. Maybe it's because the Higher Generals never showed their faces during crisis and sat idly in their thrones while treading on and stamping out the breath of those beneath them. Or maybe he's just biased.

_Nah, that's not possible._ Cross thought in amusement.

And the place in the Black Order which irks him the most? The infirmary. Even though they were in the midst of a war, the hospital was ironically empty most of the time. For the obvious reasons that most of the staff usually either return alive, in need of little treatment or they return in coffins.

And it was also the place where the only person he loved and cared about breathed her last.

_Sad memories indeed, but there's no point dwelling upon them._

As he passed the infirmary, a small figure in black walked out and walked straight into him.

"Ow…"

Cross looked down and saw that it was a young Asian girl. "Watch where you're going." He would have yelled, if it was a boy.

"Sorry." And she went off, in the direction where Cross was heading. Thus, he "followed" but kept his distance.

* * *

The child entered Komui's office and Cross saw her run to the Supervisor.

"Is there something wrong, Lenalee?" Cross heard Komui ask.

"Nii-san, is Kanda going to be okay?" The girl sounds like she's tearing up. "He's really ill."

At that point of time, Cross decided he was not going to waste any time listening to a "touching, teary" sibling bonding session. And he walked in at, of course, a very wrong time.

"Kanda will be fine. That gentleman over there said that he has a way to help." Komui said gently to his sister.

_A very wrong time to enter._ Cross could swear he saw a flash of maliciousness underneath the caring elder brotherly smile.

"Really?" Lenalee looked at Cross. "You can?"

No one, not even the great General Marian Cross can say "no" to that hopeful look.

"This "gentleman" isn't allowed to say no, is he?" Cross said with a forced smile. He shot a look at the smiling supervisor and mouthed the words, "You scheming bastard."

"Run along now, Lenalee. Nii-san needs to speak with General Cross." Komui patted Lenalee on the head and she went off. When she passed the General, she said "Thank you."

"And I thought Leverrier was bad enough, you're even worse." Cross said, feeling a tad annoyed by the fact that he just got tricked.

"Just in case the discussion between you and Tiedoll didn't work out."

"For your information, I agreed to help." Cross went on to explain the effect of the spell and its limitations.

"I'll carry out the spell tonight. Moonlight always helps to make spells more effective." The General put his hand on the doorknob. He would have left immediately after this discussion but there was something he really had to do.

"By the way, Four-eyes…"

"Hmm?"

"Pull a bloody trick like that again and I'll introduce you to Judgement's bullets." Cross growled. "Understand?"

"Yep!" The Chinese man was still giving a happy smiley face.

And the door slammed.

* * *

Night fell, and the walkways of the Church were only illuminated by the light from the full moon. At times like this, General Cross would have been in some bar, somewhere else, flirting with some waitress. Now the only woman he'll be meeting is the Matron.

"You can come in. Supervisor Komui told me about you." The Matron said as if Cross had committed the dreadful sin of disturbing the peace in the infirmary.

"Is the kid awake?"

"Yes."

"Good. If you would excuse me, Matron, may you stay outside?"

The Matron gave no verbal answer, made a huffing sound and stood outside the ward.

"Thank you, my Lady." Cross said as he brushed pass the nurse.

Kanda was feeling very bothered. He has never felt so weak in his life. First, he faints in front of Lenalee and now he can't even get out of bed without being hit by a wave of giddiness.

And now, what's adding to his annoyance is that a man reeking of smoke and alcohol had just entered the vicinity.

"Who are you?"

"Is that how you question someone who's going to save your life?"

"I never would have expected my savior to stink." Kanda said rudely.

* * *

_And this kid is supposed to be Tiedoll's disciple. I expected someone more well-mannered. _Cross thought. He dragged a chair from the nearby bed and sat next to the young Exorcist.

"Say, kid. Has anyone told you that you are dying?" The child's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Shinimasu. Your Innocence is killing you."

The Japanese child went silent. He seemed to be thinking.

"But I can give you more time." Cross said.

"And why would you?"

_Because it's interesting._

"You don't want it?"

"I don't want to die yet. I won't allow myself to die so soon."

"That's the answer I wanted to hear." Cross said with a laugh. _Who would want to save a weak-willed brat anyway?_

Cross put a gloved hand on the boy's forehead.

"What are you doing?" The boy asked in a surprised voice.

"Making you sleep so that I can do my job." Cross muttered a string of chants and the child was unconscious.

_The old man really owes me for this. He owes me a lot._

* * *

It was midnight by the time Cross was done with the spell. The child's chest was now permanently marked with a Sanskrit symbol. It would not be present when the spell is not in full effect.

_Great. It works. _Cross picked up the artifact which has been summoned as a result of the spell and walked towards the science department once more.

"Oi, Supervisor. Wake up." The General has been trying to rouse Komui from his sleep for about 10 minutes already. But the Supervisor remained in his dreamland.

_This cannot be happening. Maybe I should use Maria to do something. Nah, that won't work. _Cross was exhausted from casting that spell and he doesn't have much mental power left to summon Maria.

Just then, the Science Department Head, Reever, walked in. He took a look at Cross and then at Komui and then asked, "Do you need to speak with Chief Komui?"

"Yes, I need to speak to him. Can you wake him up?"

Reever walked up to the Supervisor, bonked him across the head with a stack of paper and commented, "Jeez, looks like I have to use that. This guy's really asleep."

"That?"

"Yeah, the most powerful waking agent. Stronger than coffee." Reever leaned forward and whispered into Komui's ear. It was soft, but Cross caught the statement that was said.

_No way. His sister's only a half-pint. There's no way anyone is going to fall for that…_

Komui shot up like someone stuck pins on the seat of his chair, grabbed a machine gun from god-knows-where and hollered "NOOOO! HOW COULD YOU, LENALEE?" in a piercing cry.

_This guy has a sister complex. _Cross concluded. _It's even worse than Tiedoll's son complex._

Reever swung the stack of paper at the Supervisor's cranium, knocking him back to his senses.

"Sorry. You need to speak with me, General Cross?" The just awakened Komui asked.

Cross put the artifact on the table. It was an intricately carved hourglass which did not contain any sand. Instead, there was a lotus, not yet bloomed, on the top half of the hourglass.

"This represents the brat's time. Explain everything to him when he wakes up."

He left straight after that, returning to his quarters to get himself a drink.

* * *

"Can I go in, please?" Lenalee asked the Matron in the morning.

"Go ahead, but Kanda's still asleep…"

"It's okay." Lenalee went into the ward. She noticed that Kanda's looking a lot better now. At least there's some color in his face and his breathing is not so shallow anymore. She breathed a sigh of relief.

_I was so worried. He seems okay now._

She was about to leave his bedside when she felt Kanda's hand touch hers. Lenalee smiled to herself.

"I'll stay a bit longer, alright?" She said aloud even though Kanda was still asleep.

"Arigatou…"

* * *

"_I'll stay a bit longer, alright?" Aiko patted Yuu on the hand. "You'll have to learn how to take care of yourself but I'll stay for a while."_

"_Arigatou…"_

* * *

Moko-Chan: Okeee… I can't do poetry and I hope whatever words that appeared in front your eyes are comprehendible.

Review anyway! If there's something that seems hard to understand, I'll try to explain.

* * *


	11. Becoming a Noah, Becoming an Exorcist 2

Moko-Chan: D.gray-man belongs to Hoshino Katsura sensei

Actually, I planned to write Lavi's entrance into the scene but that would make my story a tad short (I pretty much plan to end my story after the chapters dedicated to Lavi). Also, there's this alternate version of Chapter 3 which kept circling around in my head, so I thought I might as well get it out. Treat it as a bonus chapter or something. I would probably have a few other bonus chapters here and there afterwards after the last chapter.

* * *

_A few days before Chapter 1-All dialogue is in Japanese and Kanda would be referred to as Yuu for this chapter. Oh, and to avoid confusion, I shall "oh-so-rudely" use all their given names._

* * *

"Dear, please don't discuss such things during dinnertime." Isuzu chided her husband. "Dinnertime is supposed to be a happy occasion, not for you to complain about official matters."

"You would too, if you were in my position." Retorted the head of the household, Saburo. He was very agitated. "I'm telling, those foreign devils are hypnotizing Minamoto-sama. He's buying their words."

"What's a foreign devil?" Yuu asked his older sister, Aiko, softly in case his parents heard.

"They're people who come from outside Japan. But Chichioya thinks they're evil, so he calls them devils." Aiko explained. She has always felt that it was her duty to teach her younger brother the ways of the world.

"Are they evil?"

"Who knows? They may be. But I heard from Kika-Chan next door that a foreign priest once came here to spread his religion."

"And?"

"He ran away calling our language the "language of the devils". They can't be that good if they call _us_ devils." The older sibling commented, slightly irritated when she thought of the accusation.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with our language. We respect Kami-sama, not the devil."

"I wouldn't know what the foreigners think. But the priests always think what they believe in is right and anything else is wrong."

"Oh…"

"Aiko, Yuu, stop whispering so much at the dinner table. It's rude." Isuzu chided. She turned to her husband. "Anata, why don't you put aside the official matters for now. We need to talk about Aiko's future."

After hearing her mother's words, Aiko suddenly stood up. "I think I'll go put away the dishes. Yuu, can you help me with them? I can't carry all this by myself."

Before Yuu could agree, Isuzu said, "The servants can clear the dishes, Aiko. Sit down and stop avoiding this matter."

"But…"

"Sit." Isuzu said sternly. Aiko gave a sigh before sitting down, displeasure written all over her face.

"Now, Ogawa from the next village has expressed interest in meeting you. In the letter he sent, he would be happy if we could arrange a meeting sometime in the next two days. What day would be good for you?" Isuzu asked. Normally, it should be the parents who decided the meeting time, but Isuzu wanted her children to learn how to make decisions for themselves so they could be more independent.

"Any day is not good."

"Why? Are you busy?"

"No…it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Do I have to get married? How about Yuu-chan? He's still young! Who's going to take care of him after I leave?"

"Aiko, your parents are still alive, you know. We are perfectly capable of taking care of Yuu. You can get married without any worries."

"How are you supposed to take care of him? Chichioya is always out working and having meetings."

"Aiko, even though your father is seldom at home, I'm at home most of the time. I still can take care of him." Isuzu replied gently, trying to be patient with their stubborn daughter. It won't be long before Aiko runs out of excuses.

"But even if Hahaoya is at home, you're always busy taking care of the house and managing the servants. If you remember, I'm the person that spends the most time with Yuu. I'm the one who taught him how to read, write, count and how to use the katana as well. If I leave suddenly, he's going to be so lost, right?"

Both parents just stared at her. She wasn't wrong. She even had a point there.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow. It's best we retire for tonight." Isuzu said with a sigh. It was difficult to convince their daughter. Aiko was always able to come up with the right excuses to delay the marriage. She waited for her husband to leave the room before saying, "Aiko, I know you don't want to get married, but you have no choice in this matter. I have already arranged for Ogawa-san to visit our house two days later. I hope you can get ready so you won't disgrace her family name."

"If you already made prior arrangements, then why did you ask in the first place?" Aiko said angrily.

Isuzu did not respond. She stood up and gestured for Yuu to follow her before leaving the room. Yuu stood up to follow his mother. As he reached the door, he turned around to bid his sister 'good night', only to see a rather sad expression on her face. Thinking it was better not to say anything, he just turned and left the room.

* * *

Aiko had refused to talk to anyone for the whole day after the discussion of her marriage the night before. This was not the first time she did it, so her parents and the servants have learnt to leave her alone until she had calmed down.

* * *

The follwing day, before the sun has even risen, Isuzu was walking around the house, making sure everything was in place in preparation for their guest, Ogawa. As she walked around the garden, she saw Aiko standing under the tree, holding something furry. As she moved closer, she realized it was their elderly house cat. Aiko was holding its limp body by the neck.

"Aiko." Isuzu called cautiously, confused at the sight.

"…"

"Aiko!" Isuzu called again, more firmly this time.

Aiko turned around suddenly, as if she just came out of a trance. She gave her mother a confused look before looking at what she was holding. Dropping the cat, she gave her mother a shocked look.

"Aiko, what happened here?" Isuzu asked. Seeing the finger marks on the neck of the family cat, it was obvious that it was strangled to death.

"I…I don't know. I was in my room…and then…I was here, with you." Aiko replied hesitantly, confusion clear on her face.

"Why did you do it?"

"I don't know…I really don't know."

Isuzu observed her daughter. From the look of confusion on her face and the fact that she did not remember how she came here, it was an obvious sign of possession.

"It's alright Aiko. Go back to your room. I'll take care of this." Isuzu said gently. As soon as Aiko left the backyard, Isuzu summoned one of the servants to bury the cat under the Sakura tree.

* * *

_Later that day_

"Hahaoya, have you seen Kurotama? I can't find him anywhere. He would be hungry by now." Yuu asked Isuzu who was in the dining room. He had been trying to find their family cat since morning, but searching the whole house had yielded no results. Asking the servants were no help either.

Isuzu turned around to face her son. His face was laced with worry, which was quite understandable since he was the one who cared for the cat the most. She wondered how she could break the news to him. Telling him the truth was out of the question. She would have to lie. For his sake, and Aiko's as well.

"Yuu, Kurotama passed away this morning. You do know he's an old cat."

"What?!" Yuu cried in disbelief. "Kurotama was fine yesterday! I was playing with him!"

"Well. These things happen." Isuzu said, trying to sound convincing.

"Where is he now?"

"Under the Sakura tree in the front yard."

* * *

Yuu went out to pray for the soul of the poor cat. As he reached the Sakura tree, he heard voices coming from the main door. It sounded like a quarrel. Moving closer, he heard the apologetic voices of the servants.

"I'm really sorry, but the Master is unable to entertain visitors right now."

"I have been invited here by the Master of this house. Are you trying to say that I have made a mistake?" He was a young man in his twenties, dressed in fine clothing. He looked irritated.

_This must be Ogawa-shi. _Yuu thought. _I wonder why they can't let him in._

"We are not saying that at all, Ogawa-san. It's just that the young mistress is not feeling well. She is unable to see anyone at this moment."

"Not even me? I came all this way and can't even make an exception? Is that how this family treats your guests?"

The servants looked panicked. They couldn't let him in, because it was the Mistress' orders. But if they turn him away now, it would not be good for the family's reputation.

"I don't care what you do, I'm going in to see the Head of this house." Ogawa said before pushing past the servants. However, he barely took a few steps before he was stopped by the end of a broom handle pointed at his throat.

"Are you deaf? The servants already said you cannot come in. Or do you not understand simple instructions?" Yuu asked calmly.

"Who the hell is this little urchin?" Ogawa asked as he looked down at the source of the voice, backing up at the same time.

The servants, sensing the seriousness of the situation, stepped forward to pull Yuu away from Ogawa. "Young Master, don't be rash. You'll just make the situation worse," one of the servants pleaded.

Ogawa gave a scowl before adjusting his obi, emphasizing the two katanas hanging off it. "You think a broom can scare me, urchin? Do you see what I have here?"

"Yeah, two katanas. I can count."

"Young Master! Please do not agitate him anymore!"

"I can easily remove your little skull from your neck with this." Ogawa growled menacingly. He put his hand on the handle of one of the katanas. The servants shifted uneasily. One of them yanked Yuu behind herself.

"If you do that, I'm afraid I'll have to do the same." The servants breathed a sigh of relief at hearing Saburo's voice. "To you, that is." Saburo approached the front gate and stood face to face with Ogawa.

"Are you the Master of this house? Is that how you treat your guests?" Ogawa asked angrily.

"Seeing that you tried to attack my servants, threatened my son and entered my house without permission, I'm afraid you're not my guest anymore." Saburo answered, walking up to Ogawa.

"But you were the one who invited me here!"

"Yes, I did. But something unexpected happened at the last moment, so we were unable to inform you of the changes to our arrangements. I'm sure even a guest like you should understand."

Ogawa gave Saburo a glare before turning away and left the vicinity.

* * *

_Later at night_

Yuu lay in his futon. He couldn't sleep. Too many things happened today. And he was still thinking of the conversation at the dinner table.

"_Hahaoya, would aneue get better soon?" Yuu asked worriedly. He had not seen his sister since yesterday evening._

"_Of course she would." Isuzu said reassuringly. "It's not that serious of an illness."_

Isuzu had said that the illness was not serious, but the way she kept looking at Saburo made it obvious that she was not telling the whole truth.

"Ne, Kuro, do you think they're lying to me?" Yuu asked, hugging his black stuffed cat. He looked at the old katana hanging on the far end of his room. "Maybe they should be put that katana in aneue's room instead."

_A year ago,_

"_Chichioya, why are you hanging a katana in my room?" Yuu asked curiously. _

"_I got it in a flea market. It's supposed to protect you."_

"_Against what?"_

"_Against demons. Because they like to prey on the weak."_

"_I'm not weak!"_

"_Who's the one who needed his older sister to get away from bullies?"_

_Yuu said nothing but turned away instead._

"_You don't have to worry. Everyone starts off weak. You'll become stronger soon._

"And when is that going to be?" He asked himself before closing his eyes.

* * *

One of the female servants walked down the corridor, putting out the lights as every member of the household retired for the night. As she was approaching the inner areas of the house, she saw a shadow. Putting the light she was carrying in front of her, she was shocked to discover that it was the Young Mistress, who should be in her bedroom by now.

"Young Mistress, what are you doing outside at this time of night? Are you unable to sleep? If you wish, I can bring you something warm to drink." She asked. She knew that the Young Mistress was ill, and the lack of sleep would do her no good at all.

"It's alright, I was just taking a walk. I'll be going back to my room now." She heard the Young Mistress say.

"Are you sure it's alright, should I accompany you back to your…" Before she could complete her sentence, she felt herself being grabbed by her throat. She tried to scream but was choked.

"Shh…" The servant heard Aiko say in a hushed tone. "You don't want to wake the whole household."

"Ai…ko…sama. Let…go." The servant pleaded.

"I'm bored. Fortunately you came along, no?" Aiko said with a smile.

* * *

The next morning, the whole household was awoken by a piercing scream as the gardener who was going to clip the plants found a woman hanging off the same Sakura tree where the family cat was buried. The deceased servant had a katana stuck through her neck, the handle tucked under her chin.

The body was removed and all the servants were chased out of the house for the day. Saburo and Isuzu had called for a priest to exorcise their daughter.

* * *

The Shinto Priest arrived at night to cleanse Aiko of the "spirit" which had possessed her. Isuzu had told Yuu to stay in his room while the rituals were taking place.

"Would Aneue be alright?" Yuu asked his mother before she closed the door.

Isuzu looked at her son and smiled gently. "She'll be fine. That priest is a skilled one. Your sister will be herself tomorrow morning." She wrapped her arms around her son and gave him a hug.

"She'll definitely be alright. Now just go to sleep. This nightmare will be over soon."

* * *

Saburo stood by the door as he watched the priest chant and prance around his elder child. She just kneeled in the centre of the room, calmly, occasionally tilting her head upwards to look at him.

_Anyone else would have thought she was alright._ Books about demons and spirits have always portrayed victims of possession as screaming, wailing, violent individuals. But his daughter remained as demure as she usually was, besides the murderous aura she was emitting.

_If this doesn't work, I would have to kill Aiko to uphold the honour of this family. _He thought. _Yuu would understand. _

Suddenly, Aiko fell backwards, as though someone had just knocked into her. The priest stopped his chanting and hurried over to Aiko's side. Saburo went over to her as well. The girl's eyelid's fluttered open as she gazed at her father's face with her purple eyes.

"I had a horrible dream." She said softly.

Saburo clasped her hands in his. _Thank you, Kami-sama. It's over now._

"It's over." Saburo said aloud, very relieved. "Come, your mother's waiting outside." Then, he felt Aiko's grip tighten. Her hands were cold, like ice. And she was smiling devilishly. Her once pale skin was turning gray and her eyes turned amber, resembling that of an enraged feline. What shocked him most was the line of crosses which appeared across her forehead, marring her smooth skin.

"My horrible dream might be over." Aiko said, her voice lowered to a whisper. "But do you ever remember me saying that yours has ended?"

Saburo felt the weight on his obi lighten as Aiko drew out his katana swiftly, slicing the priest at the throat in the process. The religious personnel let out a gurgle before collapsing on the ground.

"Kuso! Isu…" Saburo was about to shout for his wife to flee when he felt a cold finger on his lips.

"Too slow." Aiko said playfully and Saburo felt the katana cut through his flesh and slide between his ribs. His racing heart no longer pumped hard from adrenaline and his body went limp.

_I'm going to die…_

Before he fell, he heard Aiko say the last thing he'll ever hear.

"Hahaoya will be with you soon. Then Yuu-chan will join you both."

* * *

Isuzu could smell the irony stench of blood from outside the room where the ritual was taking place.

"Anata," She called, her voice trembling. "Are you alright?"

The paper door slid open and Aiko was standing there with her father's sword. Isuzu only took a glance at the two bodies behind her daughter to realize what had happened.

She ran.

* * *

Yuu was drifting off to sleep when he was jolted awake by his mother screaming for him.

_Hahaoya?_

Yuu crawled out of his futon and was about to open the door when he saw his mother's silhouette from outside the door. And his sister's.

There was no sound at all from either person as he watched his sister swing a katana straight at his mother's neck. The blood formed crimson patterns all over the paper door. Yuu stood rooted at the spot for a few seconds, shocked at the events unfolding before him.

_This is all a lie, right?_

His survival instinct kicked in. The child ran to his cupboard and curled up in the corner, as far away from the opening as he could. He heard his sister open the door and walk into the room. The door slid shut again. Her footsteps were making a queer noise, like she stepped in a puddle of liquid before.

"Yuu-chan…" Aiko said in a sing-song voice. "Where are you hiding?"

Yuu wrapped his arms tightly around his stuffed cat, bringing it closer to him. _That's not aneue. _He thought. _This isn't real._

"You want to play hide-and-seek? Okay. I'll count to ten and see if I can hunt you down by then." Aiko said in her usual chirpy voice. But this time, it had murder interlaced in its sweetness.

"Ichi…" Yuu winced as the katana plunged through the paper door and into the back of the cupboard. It was only about a metre away from him.

"Nii…" Aiko withdrew the katana and plunged it into the cupboard again. This time, a couple of centimeters closer to her brother.

"San." Stab.

"Yon." Stab.

"Go." Stab.

"Roku, nana, hachi, kyuu." Stab, stab, stab, stab. Each time, the katana was getting nearer, until it was only inches from Yuu's shoulder. Yuu placed his hands over his own mouth to stop himself from screaming in fright.

"Ara? I thought Yuu-chan was in the closet." He heard Aiko say loudly. She pulled the katana out of the punctured door. Yuu could feel his own heart pounding madly against his small ribcage.

"Oops. I think I forgot one more number."

"Ju!" The katana came through the door and its blade plunged into the boy's right shoulder. Yuu gritted his teeth as the pain hit him.

"I think I just found my baby brother!" Aiko pulled the katana out, tearing the paper door and grabbed Yuu by his hair, dragging him out of the closet.

Yuu made a grab for his sister's other arm and bit the wrist. She gave a yelp and flung the smaller child across the room, causing him to crash into the wall. The old katana which was hanging on the wall fell off its hook and next to Yuu.

"Damn." Aiko muttered. "And just when I was thinking of killing you off painlessly like I did to Hahaoya and Chichioya."

She rushed at Yuu, about to slash at him when he grabbed the old sword and used it to block her blow. Although he was not cut, the force made him tumble sideways. Then the old katana did something strange. It emitted a blue light.

It glowed and strange creatures flew out of it towards Aiko. They bit her and pushed her backwards. She swung her katana wildly to shake them off. Yuu ran to the door and opened it, and was about to make a dash for it when he stopped.

He saw his mother's corpse lying across the doorway. The head was gone. His mind went blank at the sight and he froze. It was only for a short moment, but it was enough to close off his only chance of escape. Aiko had managed to get rid of those creatures in that time. She grabbed the back of her brother's yukata and slammed him onto the floor.

"What the hell was that?" Aiko hissed. She pinned her brother onto the tatami covered floor by gripping his neck. The old katana had shattered upon the impact and it revealed a glowing inner core.

Yuu struggled to pry his sister's fingers away from his neck. He could feel himself passing out from the lack of oxygen. Then he heard his sister say, "Innocence."

"So, unlucky you. An Exorcist born into the same family as a Noah." Aiko said as she straightened herself a bit. Then she thrust her katana right through Yuu's already injured shoulder and into the floor, with every intention of making sure that he does not move. Yuu screamed from the immense pain.

Aiko ignored the cries and went towards the Innocence. She picked it up and looked at it. It hummed in her hand.

"Hey, Yuu-chan." Aiko said to her brother, who's barely conscious from the shock and loss of blood. "This disgusting thing was going to be yours. And I'm going to get rid of it."

She closed her hand around the Innocence and tightened her grip. She could feel it cracking. However, before it could disintegrate completely, something interfered.

"ART!" A large white hand tore into the room and grabbed the new Noah.

* * *

_Three minutes earlier_

"It would have been more beautiful if it wasn't by itself." Tiedoll mused as he admired the lone Sakura tree, its crown peeking out over the walls of the large compound he was walking by. The petals of the Sakura tree were light pink, swaying lightly in the night wind.

_It's a pity that it's surrounded by walls as well. _Tiedoll thought. He was tempted to enter the house so he could sketch a picture of the Sakura tree, but that would be trespassing. Entering the closed country of Japan was already a risk in itself, the fact that foreigners are almost always decapitated. He could not afford to bring more attention to himself.

Just then, a shrill cry shattered the tranquility of the night. It came from inside the compound. Tiedoll jumped over the wall at once, running towards the source of the cry. It could be an Akuma attack. As he reached the house, he was greeted by the sight of a large pool of blood and a body in the corridor. Beyond that was the figure of a girl, emitting a murderous aura. She was holding something glowing.

_A Noah._

He activated his innocence.

Aiko dropped the Innocence due to the sudden movement of being pulled out of the room and into the garden. She found herself facing an old man. She noticed a Golden Rose Cross emblem on his coat.

"You're trespassing." Aiko said. "Exorcist."

"Am I? Then I must apologise for intruding." The old man said with a smile. But his eyes showed a different emotion. "Noah."

"Can you put me down now? Or are you planning to kill me?"

"I'm afraid so." He replied. Aiko noticed that he was looking past her, at the corpse of her mother. "I apologise for that as well."

Aiko had only just awakened. This Noah knew nothing about her abilities or how strong she can be. The only knowledge she had was that Exorcists and Innocence need to be eliminated and what she had learnt before becoming a Noah.

_Like hell a normal katana would be able to do anything. I'm just a sitting duck._ Aiko thought. She started to feel the pressure of being suffocated.

Suddenly, a light appeared from beside her and the pressure was gone. The giant's arm had broken off.

"What do you think you're doing to my sister?" Aiko heard a child's voice and turned to see a young girl. She had the same mark as her, and the same gray skin. The young girl turned to face her. "Let's go home now." There was another flash of light. Aiko looked up to see a large door.

The young girl turned to the Exorcist. "I should teach you a lesson, for bullying my little sister." A few Akuma appeared over the walls. "Self-destruct."

There was a large explosion and Aiko was almost knocked back by its force.

"Come on, let's go." The young girl was pulling her arm. Aiko followed her into the dark space. She didn't even turn back.

* * *

Tiedoll coughed. _What a flashly exit, _he thought as the smoke cleared. Only his quick reflexes had saved him from any serious injuries. Realising that the Noahs were not around anymore, he headed back to the house, aiming to retrieve the Innocence. That's when he noticed a child lying motionless on the bloodied tatami mats, a katana pierced through the right shoulder. Tiedoll paused for a moment.

_Oh dear. _

* * *

The boy had survived, much to Tiedoll's relief. He was unable to send the child to any clinic because there was a high probability that he would lose his head there. However, the boy was unable to recall the earlier incidents.

_Looks like I'll have to bring him back to the Black Order._

Yuu (Tiedoll got his name later) asked for his parents and sister when he woke up. He still thought that they were alive. From what Yuu remembered, Tiedoll deduced that the Noah he saw was Yuu's sister and that she had killed and hurt her own family. However Tiedoll lied, he lied to the Black Order and his new disciple.

_What would Central do if they knew he was related to a Noah? _

"Your parents were killed by Akuma." Tiedoll had told Yuu. "But your sister might still be alive."

_If this lie could keep the child moving forward_, Tiedoll thought, _Then we shall continue to live with this lie._

There was no turning back.

* * *

It rained that day when the servants returned to the Kanda household. They found the Master and Mistress dead and the children missing. The Feudal Lord Minamoto was murdered as well.

Cries were heard throughout the funeral that was held.

_Master and Mistress died so horribly. Lord Minamoto died as well. It must be an assassin. _

_The young master and mistress cannot be found though._

_They must be cursed. _

_How can you say something like that? _

_How else can you explain it? The parents are dead but not a trace of the children can be found. They cursed the family that they are born into. They cursed our Lord. They cursed the very soil on which our town is built upon._

_The girl was possessed. I always thought their son was a bit strange, never playing with the other children._

"Humans are filthy, aren't they? Looks like you can't attend your parents' funeral, Aiko." Road said, twirling Lero above her head as she observed the funeral proceedings from the top of a tree.

Aiko wasn't paying attention. She was staring at the green glowing object which she found in her kimono sleeve. It was a piece of the Innocence.

_It must have fell in._

"Oi, what are you looking at?" Road asked.

Aiko quickly stashed the piece in her obi. "Nothing. It's just something my little brother left behind."

"Your brother?"

"He probably died. I made such a deep wound and that Exorcist can't bring him to a doctor."

_I rather that you died._

Road stood up and stretched. "Let's go, Aiko. There's nothing to see here anymore. Nothing for you to return to."

No turning back at all.

* * *

NOTE: The part about the priest calling Japanese "the Devil's language" really happened. He found the language far too difficult to use to translate religious beliefs. The priest was from Portugal.

Japan was so closed up during the Edo period that it was difficult to enter (Foreigners were beheaded on the spot, Chomsuke entered from the back entrance by the way and lead the rest through hidden paths.) It was difficult to leave (Allen and the rest used the ark) and those who did were forbidden from ever returning. (OMG! Then again, how in the world did Team Tiedoll enter Japan?)

Moko-chan: IMPORTANT: I'll be going on hiatus PERMANENTLY

Haha…just kidding. It's only until the end of November. I got a big HUGE ENORMOUS Exam and I treasure my beautiful grades… a lot… really a lot and I want them to stay beautiful. (Everybody does)

So gimme good reviews! (Actually this line has absolutely no effect to my results so I shouldn't be putting a 'so')

Pika: …Pls review…


	12. Enter Bookman Jr

Moko-chan: -man belongs to Hoshino Katsura.

***************

_Let's just be friendly and frivolous as always._

It was day one as an Exorcist for Lavi. Actually it should be day two since he arrived at the Black Order the day before but since yesterday was more of an introductory session of sorts, it shall be day one.

Day 1: Question number 1.

_If I 'm a bookman and the spectator of this war, why is it that I can use Innocence? _

_What I know; Innocence choose their accommodators which is why sometimes Exorcists are called God's chosen apostles. _

_If I'm a Bookman, technically I cannot be an Exorcist because that would mean that I would have to totally interfere, indulge and be in this war. Bookmen must stand at the sidelines. But if I do not enter this war then I cannot record it because this isn't the kind of war where one can even stand at the side. Thus I must become an Exorcist._

_So am I an Exorcist because I am a Bookman? But if I can use Innocence, it means I am one of the chosen apostles and must participate in this war which is completely against Bookmen principles._

…_This is confusing. Maybe it's a coincidence that I'm an Exorcist and a Bookman at the same time. (Moko-chan: Hitsuzen, my dear friend)_

_So if I can't use Innocence, I'll have to become a Finder, which means certain death._

The red-haired youth scratched his head as all these thoughts circled in his mind. After a while, he decided to dismiss these thoughts altogether. His grandfather, Bookman had told him to go around the Black Order to firstly, memorize the layout of this maze-like place and to secondly, see if he can talk to the other Exorcists.

_I wonder if that Asian girl I saw yesterday is __around. _Lavi thought.He had looked through the information of all the Exorcists in the Order and figured that the girl which he saw crying bitterly on Day zero was called Lenalee, currently the youngest member of the Black Order.

_How can the Black Order expect to win the war when the number of people capable of combat are so few? _Lavi shook his head at that thought. _This, a long term mission? I seriously doubt that this bunch of people would last._

Then, his stomach growled. _I haven't had breakfast yet…But I don't know the way to the cafeteria._ Luckily for him, he spotted a group of Finders soon afterwards.

"Hey!" Lavi called out to the Finders. "May I know the way to the cafeteria?"

The Finders broke off their conversation and looked at him. "Are you a new Exorcist?" One of them asked.

"Yeah. How'd you guess?"

"No white coat, no beige coat or any uniform in particular so you're probably an Exorcist."

"Pretty smart. My name's Lavi. Nice to make your acquaintance." Lavi said cheerfully. The Finders, however, showed no signs of introducing themselves.

"The cafeteria's that way." Another Finder pointed out. "Just go up the staircase there and follow the walkway."

_Well, that's friendly of them._ "Thanks." Lavi said and he walked in the direction pointed out.

Just as he passed the Finders, he caught them talking about the big loss suffered by the Black Order before he had arrived.

"None of the Exorcists died. Are they really that strong?"

"Nah. Some of them got hurt too. I heard that one Exorcist came back unscathed though."

"Yeah. That Asian boy. His coat was soaked in blood but he had no wounds. Simon told me that when his team found the Exorcist, the coats of the other Finders were around him. I bet he used them as meat shields."

"Must be. There's no way somebody can be unhurt from an attack like that. What do Exorcists treat us as anyway? We put our lives on the line too!"

Lavi didn't listen on to the conversation. It was quite clear to him what little chance the Black Order had in winning when they cannot even settle their own internal conflicts. Right now, his stomach was more important.

*********

"Konichiwa~~! I'm Jeryy, the chef. Are you a new exorcist? What's your name?"

"Yeah. My name's Lavi. Pleased to meet you." Lavi answered, cheerfully as usual. The conversation was beginning to sound all too familiar. It was beginning to sound as if the Order categorises their members by what they wear, if people could tell he was an exorcist with just one glance.

"Pleased to meet you too. What do you want to eat? I can make anything you want, and you look like the type of boy who eats a lot."

"In that case, I want a large plate of seafood pasta, with clams." Lavi said.

"Coming right up!" Jeryy said happily, before disappearing into the kitchens.

As he was waiting for his breakfast to be ready, Lavi took the time to scan the cafeteria. Most of the people in the cafeteria were wearing white coats and beige coats. Among the sea of white and beige, he spotted a lone black uniform. _Finally, an exorcist, I was starting to think I was the only one in the room._

"Enjoy your meal!" Lavi collected his tray of food, then starting walking towards the person wearing the black uniform, hoping to start up a conversation. As he moved closer, Lavi realized the person was the Asian girl called Lenalee. She was surrounded by scientists and definitely looked happier compared to the day before.

"Hey, can I sit here?" Lavi asked casually. _This is a good chance to talk to other exorcists._ Lenalee turned around and spotted him. Then she smiled. "Of course." She replied.

_Her smile definitely looks a lot better than her crying face, even with all the bandages she has. _Lavi found himself thinking randomly. Pushing that thought away, he sat down beside her, since that was the only space left.

"Are you new? My name's Lenalee. What's yours?" He heard her say.

"Yeah, I just got here yesterday. Name's Lavi." He answered. Introducing himself was essential to fitting in so he could get information, but he found himself slowing getting tired of the routine.

"Oh, so you're one of the new exorcists?"

"Yeah, I'm one of the new exorcists. My grandfather's the other one. How did you know?"

"I heard about you from my older brother. I think you met him yesterday. My older brother is Komui Lee."

"Oh, I see." Lavi answered. _So she's the Supervisor's younger sister. That means she should know quite a bit about the Order and the other Exorcists._

Just as Lavi was going to ask her about the other exorcists, he was interrupted by a person wearing big spectacles.

"You're the new exorcist, Lavi? What size do you wear? By the way, I'm Johnny, I make the Exorcists' uniforms."

Shocked by the sudden question and introduction, Lavi paused for a while before answering, "Size? It doesn't really matter as long as it fits okay."

The last thing Lavi expected Johnny to do was to jump and sit on the table, pull out a measuring tape, and lean in too close for comfort. He found himself backing up just a bit.

"You can't say that, the defensive properties of the Exorcist's uniforms increase when they fit well. That's because you'll be able to move around more easily and it'll make your battle with the Akuma easier. Do you want me to make a bandana for you?" Johnny said, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Johnny, just get off the table!" Reever yelled. "It's not hygienic!"

Johnny ignored him and gave his opinion. "Lavi is definitely not suited for a long coat like Kanda's."

"Bookman's not suited as well." Another scientist added.

"Why is he going all *_kira kira*_ ?" Lavi found himself asking amongst the discussion.

"That's because everyone wants to do their part to protect you since you are our comrade now." Lenalee replied, smiling and patting him on the back. "Why don't you listen to Johnny and let him measure you?"

Lavi found himself giving in. Finishing his meal, he stood up and followed the group, who were leaving as well. "Well, you can make me a really cool looking bandana while you're at it." He told Johnny.

"Sure, of course." Johnny replied happily, he was going to have so much fun.

"Johnny's really skilled at these sort of things." Another scientist said.

While Lavi was following them, he realized that this group of people were really sincere in protecting him, simply because he was an exorcist.

_Exorcist__, huh? _He thought. _Even if they put their hopes on me, it's not really much of a point. I am after all, a Bookman first. I'm just here to record history, not to fight wholeheartedly in a war. I'm different from the rest of you._

*********

After Johnny took some quick measurements and asked Lavi about half a dozen questions regarding his clothes, (Yes, I don't mind a scarf, no, not wool, a cotton one would do, yeah, I like green… and so on and so forth.) he took off happily.

_Ehh… Since I'm going to be explore this __place for quite some time, I better go get a snack or something._ Thus the Bookman apprentice went back to the cafeteria.

**********

Lavi got his snack and was quite creeped out at how Jeryy was going all *_kira kira* _as well. Apparently, the chef was delighted that Lavi likes to eat. (and he likes cute boys.)

He observed the people in the cafeteria. Some were in deep discussion, some were chatting happily, and it did not feel like these people were fighting in a war at all. It was not like the other wars which he witnessed, where the soldiers were grim and gloomy. Then again, he was never _in _the war itself.

_Weird…_ He thought. This war definitely felt very different.

Then, he heard the clanging sound of utensils on the cafeteria table. Heads turned. It was an Exorcist, small-sized, with bandages wrapped around his head and purple streaks painted under his eyes. That Exorcist was now glaring at a group of Finders sitting near him.

"What the hell do you all know? Were you even in that battle at all?" That Exorcist growled angrily at the Finders.

"Daisya… just drop it." The Exorcist sitting next to him warned. This one was of a much larger build and had dark skin.

"Drop it?!" Daisya, yelled, very close to shrieking. "Marie, they're making unwarranted accusations here!"

"Then how can you explain the fact that _he_ was the only one who returned perfectly fine?" One of the Finders retorted.

Daisya glared at the Finder. "Even if I told you the truth, you idiots wouldn't believe me!"

"Daisya…"

The smaller Exorcist grabbed his tray and walked off saying, "If I stay here any longer, I'm gonna get poisoned by their aura of idiocy." The other Exorcist went after him.

_Definitely, this place doesn't have any group spirit at all._ Lavi sighed at the stupidity of these people and left the cafeteria.

********

Lavi continued his exploration of the Order. To him, the Black Order did not seem like a very interesting place. Maybe it wasn't the place itself but the people.

_It's the same everywhere. _Comparing this set of humans to all those he met as his previous 48 aliases, they were rather friendly and welcoming in a sense, with an exception of some of the Finders. The people here were just so mundanely human, normal, nothing outstanding. Just like the other blots of ink.

********************

The morning light shone into the dojo, illuminating the dust particles floating in the air as General Tiedoll knocked his youngest student on to the ground with a staff.

"_That _was the fifth time." Tiedoll said, shaking his head in disapproval.

"You attacked me from the back, you cheat!" Kanda scowled.

"And if I'm not mistaken, most Akuma aren't gentlemanly enough to attack their opponents head on, Yuu-kun."

"Don't call me by that name!"

Tiedoll sighed. _Always changing the topic when he can't win the argument._

"Yuu-kun," (Tiedoll receives a glaring) "If you can't learn to watch your own back, then at least learn to work with someone else."

"Che."

"Well, it seems like you have to watch yourself then." Just then Tiedoll's golem started buzzing. It was a message to go to Komui's office.

"We'll end practice here then. Do not forget what I have said."

***********************

After the General left the dojo, Kanda managed to get some peaceful silence. That was until a certain Bookman Junior decided to drop in.

"Yo!"

Kanda looked at the doorway just to see a one-eyed redhead stroll into the practice area.

There was a very very long pregnant pause as neither youth said anything.

************************

_Oh man… This is so awkward. Normal people would at least return a 'hi.' _Lavi thought when a greeting was not returned.

"Eh… I'm new here." Lavi tried to restart the conversation. "The name's Lavi."

The other youth stared at him for a while and then (much to Lavi's irritation) returned to swinging practice.

"…Oi~ Yuu-kun~~~~"

***********************

Kanda stopped swinging Mugen abruptly as the annoying redhead suddenly decided to call him by his (hated) first name.

"What did you just say?" Kanda asked menacingly.

"Oh. So you can talk." Lavi said, in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Isn't Yuu your name? I heard that old man calling you that just now."

"You are not allowed to call me that."

"Then how do other people address you?"

"Kanda."

"I think Yuu sounds a lot better."

"What?!"

"Yuu-kun, Yuu-chan, Yuu-san etcetera, etcetera. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

***************************

Lavi was definitely having fun teasing the Japanese youth who was fuming at the moment. Then he just had to drop the straw which broke the camel's back.

"You know, if you didn't speak just now, I might have just mistaken you for a girl."

_I might have even entered the 'Strike!' zone._ Lavi thought with a grin. A grin which was wiped in an instant as Kanda activated his Innocence and proceeded to dismember him.

With a quick sidestep, Lavi dodged out of the line of attack and activated his own Innocence to block off the next blow.

"Woah, you don't have to get so mad, it's a joke!" Lavi squeaked as Mugen stopped short of cutting his bandana off.

_So maybe I gone a bit too far…_

"You are dead!"

Lavi imagined that in the next second, his head would probably be rolling on the ground if not for a brown clipboard which flew towards both him and Kanda. The clipboard found its target.

"Kanda! Why in the world are you picking fights with people?!" Lavi looked at his savior. It was Lenalee. "He could have gotten hurt!"

"Yeah, and it's okay for your clipboard to hit me…" Kanda grumbled angrily rubbing the side of his head where the clipboard came into contact with.

Lenalee walked towards the two boys and picked up her clipboard from the ground.

"Sorry about that, Lavi. Kanda has a bit of a short fuse." Lenalee said apologetically.

"What?!"

"Apologise, Kanda."

"Hmph…"

"Kanda…" Lenalee said in a threatening tone, raising her clipboard.

"Che. Sorry." Kanda apologized in, of course, the most insincere tone he could use.

"Heh… It's not completely his fault either…" Lavi said, a bit amused by the situation. He also made a mental note not to get Lenalee angry. "I did star…"

The next moment, Lavi lost sense of what's up and what's down as he got sent flying to the side of the dojo and landed with a dull 'thud'.

Lenalee and Kanda blinked in surprise. Lavi had suddenly disappeared from where he was standing and a small old man had taken his place.

"Damn Panda jiji…." Lavi got up and brushed the dust off his clothes. "Why the heck didja kick me for?!" He protested.

The so called 'Panda' turned to Lenalee and Kanda and bowed. "I apologize for my stupid apprentice's manners. Please overlook his idiocy."

"And who are you?" Kanda asked.

"That's my jiji. Other people call him Bookman but you all are welcome to call him 'Pan…" Lavi just started talking when Bookman slammed him into the ground face first.

"Only Bookman are allowed to talk about Bookman." Bookman said harshly. He grabbed his grandson's collar and dragged him out of the dojo. "We still have other work to do." (Lavi was in the meantime, checking that his nose wasn't broken.)

"See ya!" Lavi managed to say before he got pulled out of sight.

***********************

Kanda and Lenalee stood in the dojo for a moment in silence after Lavi got dragged off by Bookman. Then Lenalee started her questioning.

"Did you get hurt?"

"When?"

"The mission a few days back."

"No."

"Not at all?"

"Why? You want me to get hurt?" Kanda questioned suspiciously.

"Of course not. I'm glad you didn't get injured!" Lenalee said defensively.

_But all those rumors…_

"I don't give a damn about what other people say." Kanda said suddenly, guessing that Lenalee was probably worried about stories about him. Especially the ones regarding him standing alive among dead Finders.

"But…"

"And it's none of your business either." And he ended the converstation.

**********************

"This place is pretty nice, isn't it?" Lavi asked Bookman. "Usually, the people don't talk to us at all. And this is the first time we are _in _a war."

_And it's the first time I actually talked to people my age._

Bookman eyed his apprentice who was having a happy smile on his face. Was it a farce?

"Don't get attached. Remember what we're here for."

"You don't have to keep reminding me."

***********************

Moko-Chan: I AM DONE!!!! With my next chapter. Thank you, my fellow patient readers for waiting for the end of my exams. I think my writing standard just fell… As usual please read and review!

Note: Check my profile page. I added a link to my fanarts… Yeah. Shameless advertising.

I'll try to write the next chapter soon… I mean I got it all planned out and all, I just need the motivation… (Kind of person who is unmotivated)


	13. Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own -man (Property of the currently very ill Hoshino-Sensei).We pray that she recovers soon.

**Chapter 13: Trust**

******************************

Day 15: _I am still feeling bothered by a comment made to me a week ago._

******************************

Lavi was heading towards the supervisor's office. It was late in the evening already and the Order seemed to have become a sleepy sort of place. Or rather, more like a fatigued one. He only had been in the Order for scarcely more than two weeks and even now, he was feeling a bit of the tiredness.

_That's because Jiji always makes me cram the books that are in the Order._

Not that Lavi doesn't like reading, but making a person read and memorize books that can be used for weight-lifting every single day is enough to make anyone scream.

But when it comes to the air of exhaustion…

_The science department is the worst._ Lavi concluded as he entered the department. The scientists were like walking zombies, feeding on coffee to protect themselves from banishment to the land where people actually sleep.

Lavi was always amazed how the work of the scientists seem to defy the laws of physics, piling high and never falling.

_I wonder if this work ever ends…Ah, nevermind. What could my first mission be?_

*******************************

Kanda gave Komui a deathly glare when his 'partner' for the mission entered the office.

"Now, this isn't the time to be choosy, we are facing a shortage of people." Komui said in a joking manner when he noticed the look.

"Yo! We meet again, Yuu." Lavi greeted cheerfully.

Kanda ignored Lavi and sat on the couch in the middle of the office, the only piece of furniture free from litter.

"I'll be sending the both of you to Bristol. You can easily get there by train. According to the people in Bristol, there have been people going missing for the past two years." Komui said.

"How many?" Lavi asked also sitting on the couch.

"Seven."

Kanda raised an eyebrow. "That's not strange. People always go missing once in a while."

"True, it's not exactly phenomenal. All the people who disappeared are young so I wouldn't be surprised if they just decided to leave their family out of brashness. In fact, I highly doubt that Innocence is involved."

"So why do we have to investigate?"

"Two of our Finders disappeared there two weeks ago. We lost contact with them completely."

"We have to look for them?" Kanda asked coldly. "Why?"

"Yuu's so cold." Lavi chided.

"Shut up."

"It's actually more of an investigation than a 'search and rescue'. Nevermind, just go there first. I already sent a Finder there to help both of you."

***********************************

"You got something against Finders, Yuu?" Lavi asked, curious about Kanda's perceived dislike for the people in the beige coats. He grabbed hold of a stick and pushed the gondola away from the canal. (Is there a technical term for the stick?)

"Oi."

"Yes?"

"Don't call me Yuu." Kanda said angrily.

"There's no need to act so distant. We're going to be working together." Lavi said smiling in his goofy manner.

"Working together?" Kanda almost laughed. "Working together would involve me trusting you."

**I rather not talk to you.**

"And the issue would be what?" Lavi demanded.

**Huh? Is there something wrong with me?**

"I don't trust people like you." Kanda replied.

**I can understand a person by the light in their eyes.**

"I don't place my faith in people who don't exist. There isn't a person behind that farce of yours."

**Your eye is like glass. It reflects me, but that's all. Nothing reaches inside****.**

Lavi fell silent. Another person who commented the same thing about him. He was quite shocked actually. No one, absolutely no one, in these 16 years has ever said such a thing about him, all previous 48 aliases.

And now the 49th alias' true nature is found out.

"What? Can't think of a way to rebut?" Kanda challenged.

"Nope. Not at all." Lavi replied, still smiling.

******************************

Lavi was very glad when he and Kanda finally reached Bristol's train station. The entire trip had been extremely tense ever since they left the Order. He was hoping that the worse is over. Then _that _Finder had to show up in front of them.

"Ah, Exorcists-sama. I pray that the trip was al… Ack." The Finder paused in mid-sentence when he saw Lavi.

Lavi recognized the Finder and recognized him pretty well. The messy black hair, the short stature and the childish puppy-like face. He looked so much like a child that Lavi was amazed how he even managed to survive being a Finder for nearly a year.

"Is there something wrong?" Lavi asked even though he could pretty much guess why the Finder went 'Ack'.

"No." The Finder replied shortly, turning away for Lavi and introducing himself to Kanda. "My name is Doug, nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand.

"And what have you found out?" Kanda said in a slightly impatient tone. He ignored the offered hand.

Doug withdrew his hand immediately. "I found the identities of the missing people, but I haven't got the time to ask about the details because I had to pick you two up from the station." He said, slightly intimidated.

There was a short pause until Doug suggested that they go talk to the missing people's relatives in the town.

_Wonderful. Stuck with two people who don't trust me at all. If one could __die of stress, I would have done so a couple of times over already._

*************************************

_Time lapse__ to late evening._

The trio was done questioning the relatives of the missing people. It was quite troublesome especially since for every group of relatives which were questioned, at least one in the group would start to break down and cry. Leaving the residential areas, they started to look for an inn to stay for the night, discussing their findings along the way.

"So what we have gotten so far is that all the missing people are male and young. And the time they went missing is always when they happened to be travelling and then their families lose all contact with them." Doug said, summarizing the information they got from the victim's families.

"Also, they disappeared a few days after their families receive word that they're returning home." Lavi added. "The funny thing is that there are also other travelers who fit the profile but did not go missing."

"Is it an Akuma?" Doug asked Kanda.

"Maybe."

"I thought Akuma weren't picky about their victims." Lavi pointed out. "If it was Akuma, shouldn't there be more people vanishing? Nobody reported clothes appearing out of nowhere either. I really doubt it's an Akuma attack."

"Right." Doug said. "So if nothing happens tomorrow, I guess we have to focus on looking for the missing Finders."

They continued walking through the town when Kanda, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped in front of one of the inns. The inn had three stories and it had a huge signboard which read " Remaneo Foreva-Bed and Breakfast"

"Something wrong, Yuu?" Lavi asked because it was quite abrupt.

Doug went up to the window and saw that there was a sign there.

"I think we can stay here. It's really cheap and the place does not look so run down either!" Doug exclaimed, rather happy because the Order always emphasized that lodgings should be at as low budget as possible, for obvious reasons.

"So you're concerned about the price too…" Lavi grinned, thinking that Kanda stopped because the lodgings were inexpensive. The other Exorcist did not comment.

"I'll go see if there are any rooms." Doug went up the staircase of the patio and pressed the doorbell. And then in the time it took for the Finder to remove his finger from the button, the door opened.

The three teenagers were greeted by a brunette woman who was all smiles. She was not very old, it seems but the fine lines on her face showed that she was not very young either.

_That's creepy._ _It's almost as though she was waiting by the door. _Lavi suddenly got the chills down his spine.

"Hi. Are you three looking for a place to stay?" The woman asked, flashing her not-so-white teeth.

"Uh…Yes." Doug managed to say. Apparently he was shocked by the almost immediate response to the doorbell as well. "Do you have enough rooms? I mean, the price is really low and all…"

"Of course I have rooms. The third floor is completely taken but the second floor is completely available." The innkeeper said, almost as though she was advertising.

Doug turned to the two exorcists who were at the bottom of the stairs. "Is this place alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Lavi said, still trying to shake off the weird feeling. He turned to Kanda only to see that he was staring intently at the signboard, as though he shared the same sentiments as Lavi.

_The signboard reads 'Remaneo Foreva'. 'Remaneo' is Latin for 'stay'__ or 'remain' while 'Foreva' comes from 'Forever'. 'Stay Forever'… Anyone would be creeped out by this._

The three boys entered the inn after the innkeeper.

***********************************

For a low budget inn, the inside of the building was surprisingly well-furnished. The floor was carpeted a deep red and the wall paper was a rich metallic grey. Lavi noticed that all the furniture (except the tables) were of varying shades of deep red.

_This lady must really like red a lot._ _But isn't it kind of overused…_

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Lavi spotted something small and furry sitting near the wall. It was a small dog but it did not bark at all. Its glassy eyes stared blankly at the visitors.

Doug seemed to have noticed the dog as well. "Madam, is that dog stuffed?"

"Oh, that little thing? Yes, he's stuffed. His name is Valent, he's my pet dog, when he was alive, that is."

"You stuffed your pet dog?!"

"Oh yes, and many of my other pets as well. My grandfather used to be a taxidermist so I picked up some of his skills. I just can't bear to bury these darlings when they die so I just preserve and keep them. It's almost as though they are still alive, you see." The innkeeper explained.

"Where are your other stuffed pets then?" Lavi asked since only the dog was in the vicinity.

"They are all on the third floor. The other guests don't seem to mind. Should I make some supper for all of you? You boys are hungry, right?" The innkeeper asked, clapping her hands together.

"Yeah! I'm starving!" Doug replied. He had not had anything to eat since morning because of his job.

"Alright then. I love it when my guests are hungry." The innkeeper said cheerfully. "If you boys don't mind, can you sign in my guest book over there?" She pointed at a book on a small table which was next to Valent. " I enjoy keeping tabs of the people who have come to my inn. I have a bad memory for names so I'm afraid I may not know your names if I see you all again."

"Sure." Lavi replied, answering for the other two as well. "I'll help the both of you write. Yuu, do you want your name in Japanese or English?"

Kanda glared at Lavi. "Don't bother."

"I'll write it in Japanese then." Lavi went to write in the guest book with Kanda tailing him and threatening to rip his thumbs off if he did. Doug sat patiently at the dining table as he anticipated the nice warm food he'll finally be getting as the innkeeper walked into the kitchen to make their supper.

Shortly afterwards, Lavi and Kanda went to join Doug at the dining table.

"Are you not proud of your name?" Lavi asked, a bit grumpy because he did not get to write Kanda's name down in the guestbook.

"None of your business."

Thankfully, it was not long until the innkeeper came out of the kitchen with their supper or Doug may have to endure a full blown argument.

"Enjoy your food. I'll have my own supper in the kitchen." The innkeeper said before disappearing into the kitchen again.

********************************

"The food's delicious!" Doug told the innkeeper.

"Thank you! Shall I bring you to your rooms now?" Only two of the three nodded but all followed the innkeeper anyway. She brought them up to the second floor and led them to two of the rooms.

"The doors cannot be locked. I been trying to get a locksmith to change them but it's just too pricey." The innkeeper said with a sigh.

"It's ok as long as you don't try to steal our stuff." Lavi joked.

The innkeeper laughed and replied, "Of course not, if I do that, no travellers would come anymore".

"So who wants a room to himself?" Of course, any sort of answer was unnecessary as Kanda had already walked into one of the rooms, shutting the door behind him.

"Ah, I guess that's settled." Doug said sheepishly. "Good night, Madam."

*************************************

It was already late into the night and the crescent moon was high in the sky. Most people would be deep in their sleep now, most people that is. The innkeeper of "Remaneo Foreva" was wide awake. In fact she was hoping that her three new guests would be the ones deep in their sleep. She checked the clock, it was at least 3 hours since the boys had eaten their supper.

"They must be having peaceful dreams now." She said aloud, as though talking to someone. "They'll play with the rest of you soon, those cute children."

Who should she kill first? She thought. The boy with the long black hair? He was pretty, more beautiful than all the boys she had seen. No, she'll save the best for last.

"I'll send the redhead and the puppy to join you all first. They're really cute and young. You'll definitely like them." The innkeeper decided as she pushed open the door.

There he was, nearer to the door was Doug. The puppy-like boy as the innkeeper had labeled him. She pulled the bed covers off and saw that Doug was sleeping, curled up in a fetal position.

"How cute." The innkeeper commented, taking out the knife she had tucked in her apron. She always wears an apron to keep her clothes clean.

"The neck, as usual." The innkeeper muttered to herself as she pushed Doug's hair away from his neck and positioned the knife there.

"Bye-bye, puppy." She raised the knife high and was going to bring it down towards the boy's throat. She had done it many times, on pigs, chickens and even people. Soon the blood would flow and another would be added to her collection.

However blood did not flow. The knife was knocked out of her hand centimeters above Doug's skin. She looked up and saw the red-head sitting calmly on his bed.

**************************************

"Awfully rude for a lady to intrude into a boy's room, don't ja think?" Lavi said, holding his extended Tetsui (Hammer) in his hand. Doug got up and backed away from the innkeeper, his hand on his neck. ("I almost died!" He protested but was ignored by Lavi)

The innkeeper stared wide-eyed and in shock. "How?... You should be asleep!" She screamed.

"If we ate the food that is. We may be young, but we aren't idiots." Lavi said.

***************************************

(3 Hours earlier)

"I'm going to eat!" Doug picked up his spoon and was about to scoop a large spoonful of food into his mouth when Kanda stood up from his seat, plate in hand and strode towards the window.

"Wha…!"

And then the Japanese Exorcist promptly opened the window and emptied the plate by chucking his food out.

At that moment, Lavi smirked. "How did you figure out that the food might be spiked?"

"A feeling." Kanda replied shortly.

"The …!" Doug was about to exclaim loudly but a look from Kanda silenced him. "The food's drugged?" He whispered.

"Correct." Lavi replied taking his plate and Doug's and throwing their food out as well. (My food…I was hungry…cry)

Lavi returned to his seat and gave Doug back his plate before explaining. "Seven of the names in the guest book belonged to all the missing people. The first one was dated two years ago and the last one was about a month back."

"That may mean that they stayed here before." Doug argued.

"That's too much of a coincidence." Kanda said.

"Exactly. We're not taking any chances. Besides where are the other guests she talked about?"

"…They're not around."

"And it's not as if it's really late either. But yet, we don't see any other guests."

"Oh god…If she ate with us, we wouldn't have been able to avoid being drugged." Doug said, shocked as he comprehended the situation.

"But she didn't. You wanna know why?" Lavi asked.

"Why?"

"She didn't want us to see her face when she's plotting what she's going to do with us…"

************************************

"So you caught me. That doesn't mean I won't be able to make you all part of my collection!" The innkeeper was about to lunge at both Doug and Lavi but she stopped when she saw that Lavi did not have any fear on his face. He was still smirking as though he had the upper hand.

"What are you smiling at?" The innkeeper demanded, her voice almost a hiss.

"You do remember that a certain pretty boy happens to be 'sleeping' in his own room, right?" If Lavi's grin could grow any wider, it would have.

The innkeeper turned around only to see Kanda dashing towards her, Mugen in hand.

*************************************

"I think you overdid it, Yuu." Lavi said, clicking his tongue.

"I did not, and don't call me Yuu." Kanda retorted.

"You didn't have to stab your katana next to her head, you know. You could have scared the poor lady to death."

"I COULD HAVE BEEN SCARED TO DEATH!" Doug suddenly hollered at the other two. "I was practically sweating buckets when she had this knife _this close_ to me." He used his hands to show how close he was to death's door. "Besides, what if she decided to kill Kanda-san first instead?"

"Yuu can protect himself." Lavi replied.

"She would have been dead." Was Kanda's reply.

"What a great plan you both have." Doug said sarcastically. "'Doug, just lie still and pretend to sleep'…There wasn't even room for me to protest!"

Both the Exorcists ignored the Finder. Kanda turned to the innkeeper, who was tied up at the moment.

"Do you work for the Millennium Earl?" He asked.

"Millennium Earl? I never heard of such a thing. I pro…"

"Akuma?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." The innkeeper said in a panicked state. "Look, how about you boys let me go? I won't kill you. I promise I won't kill again!" She pleaded but Kanda was not listening to her pleas.

"So what do we do about her?" Doug asked.

"Call the police. It's their job." Lavi said. "Hey, Yuu! Where are you going?" He shouted after Kanda who was walking out of the room.

"Upstairs."

"Come on. Akuma aren't the only killers in the world." Lavi said as he and Doug followed Kanda up the staircase. "Humans kill each other as well. A crazy innkeeper killed the missing people. Our job's done!"

Kanda continued to ignore Lavi and opened one of the doors on the third floor.

************************************

_The innkeeper's not an Akuma…So why do I still have this uneasy feeling?_

Upon opening the door, Kanda was disgusted by the sight. There in the room were various stuffed animals and seven people. The seven missing young men were in the middle of the room in various poses, sitting on a chair, arms outstretched or just standing around like mannequins in a clothes store.

"Disgusting." Lavi could not help saying when he saw the sight.

Doug just stared in disbelief. "She stuffed those people!"

"Yeah. Who knew humans were capable of such atrocious acts. I guess we found the missing people."

However, Kanda continued to look around the room. Then he swore in Japanese. He bent under one of the armchairs and pulled out two folded white robes. The Finder's uniform.

_Shimata. I was right._ Kanda was about to rush back downstairs when Lavi held him back.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Let go, baka! There's something else here."

"Are you sure it isn't your nerves?"

Kanda, extremely irritated by Lavi's lack of alertness, shoved the two coats in front of the other youth's face.

"The two Finders names aren't in the guest book in case you hadn't noticed! They aren't victims of the mad woman either!" Kanda half-shouted, exasperated.

Lavi tried to remember all the names he saw in the guest book. Kanda was right, the two Finders probably never stepped into the inn but yet they were missing and their coats are in the inn.

"That lunatic probably found the coats after those two finders were…" Kanda was cut off in mid-sentence as the innkeeper's shriek suddenly echoed through the whole building. It was blood curdling.

_Akuma.__ There's an akuma in this inn. It probably attacked the Finders when they tried to investigate this place without that damn psycho knowing._

Kanda activated Mugen and ran back to the second floor only to find that the innkeeper had been reduced to a pile of dust and clothes. Lavi walked up to the pile of ash, his Innocence also activated. Both Exorcists looked around anxiously, adrenaline pumping in their system as they were on high alert. Doug remained on the staircase, surveying his surroundings as well.

_Where's the Akuma?_

*************************************

_They cannot see me. Of course not, they won't suspect it. What a convenient form I have evolved to. Who should die first? How about the idiot with the eye-patch? Haha, he's blind on the right side, he won't be able to see me attack…_

*************************************

"I don't see any Akuma…" Lavi said, breathing as slowly as possible.

_It couldn't have gotten away. Not this quickly without leaving a trace behind. _Kanda thought to himself. There was no tear in the walls or floor. The window wasn't even broken. Everything looked untouched since they left the room.

_Don't tell me…_

_**************************************_

Something moved quickly towards Lavi. By the time he spotted the assailant with his uncovered left eye, there wasn't enough time for him to react. But he didn't get hit.

He was pushed away before the Akuma managed to reach him. Lavi fell to the floor, slightly stunned by the impact. When his vision cleared, Lavi looked up and he realized why he didn't get the right side of his body punctured through.

The person who did not place any faith in him just took a blow. An attack that was meant for him.

**************************************

_Bl__ood. There's so much blood… _The red liquid dripped onto the red carpet.

**************************************

Moko-chan: I. Am. Evil. Because I decided to end in a cliffy. Mwahahahahahaha!!!!!! Maybe some of you would find the story familiar because I was inspired by (plagiarized from) one of Roald Dahl's short stories (Bed and Breakfast). I had this text for my literature practice a few years back.

And yes, I seem to write creepy stories pretty well.


	14. Rabbit

Moko-Chan: -man is owned by the still very sick Hoshino-Sensei. The lack of -man chapters is killing me.

*******************

A pile of paper landed on Komui's desk with a soft thud.

"These need to be signed." Reever pointed out. "Now."

The supervisor stared at the stacks of work and gave the Australian a bambi-eyed look.

"Any way I can avoid this?" Komui whined.

"No."

"Gimme coffee or I won't sign it."

"No."

"An~~~~~~I want my coffee!!" Komui started banging the table with his fists and throwing a childish tantrum.

"You'll get it later! Now just sign the damn thing!" Reever growled, wondering for the eighth time today why he worked for this whiny adult.

Komui picked up a pen reluctantly and started signing. Then he heard Reever give a loud exasperated sigh which nearly blew his beret off.

"Oi, Supervisor, you sure it's wise to just send a new guy and Kanda on such a strange mission? The Finder's only a kid too." Reever asked.

"It's alright. Besides, the mission's probably going to wind up as only a simple serial kidnapping or murder case."

_You call a serial murder case simple?! _Reever had no idea what this supervisor was thinking.

"Besides, Kanda-kun's with them. They can handle it." Komui said, pushing a stack of paper aside and starting on another.

"Coffee!" Came Lenalee's angelic voice as she popped into the office preventing Reever from trying to cut in another sentence. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all." Reever replied with a smile. In the background, Komui was saying the word "coffee" over and over like the crazed caffeine deprived worker he is.

"Hai, hai. Nii-san, here's your coffee." Lenalee gave her brother the rabbit printed mug and watched her brother gulp the life-giving brew down quickly before continuing his work.

***************************

"Dammit! Yuu, please hold on." Lavi cried desperately as he ran to his fallen comrade. Kanda was lying on the ground, his skin pale from the loss of blood. There was a gaping wound on his abdomen.

_There's so much blood. _Lavi gripped the handle of Tetsui tightly. _I have to get both of them out, fast._

Then laughter resounded throughout the whole house. It seemed to be coming from everywhere.

"Stupid exorcists, you can't get me!" The voice mocked.

_Where?_

Suddenly, a spike flew out from the flooring but the blow was blocked by Lavi's hammer. Then another followed by another came shooting towards him. Lavi quickly wrapped his arm around Kanda's waist and pulled him away from the ground, blocking the repeated attacks at the same time.

That was when his back came into contact with the red wallpapered wall.

_Crap._

"Stupid stupid exorcists!" The voice came from behind Lavi. He looked at the wallpaper only to see three slits on it. Two of them widened, revealing bright orange blood-shot eyes. And the third broke into a fanged grin.

"Dummy!" A spike shot out from the Akuma's mouth.

Lavi closed his eyes in fear, thinking that he was going to get stabbed. The blow never came as the spike stopped short of his heart.

"Lavi-san, destroy it now!" Doug shouted from the doorway. He was holding a large spotlight which was able to form a barrier around Akuma. However, this barrier doesn't last, not against a level 2.

"Ozuchi kozuchi, man, man, man!" The hammer like Tetsui expanded rapidly in size and mass as the redhead swung it towards the wall, smashing it into splinters. The cold night breeze drifted into the room from the newly formed opening.

"Did you get it?" Doug asked nervously, still clutching onto the spotlight for his dear life.

_Even though it's hard to aim while carrying Yuu, I'm sure I hit it head-on._

"Is Kanda-san-… okay?" Doug asked. From his tone, it sounded to Lavi that he wanted to use the word 'dead' but didn't dare to.

_If we don't stop the bleeding soon…_ He could feel the other exorcist's warm blood seeping through his fingers.

"I thi-" Lavi stopped in mid-sentence when he spotted an orange eyeball above the doorway. Doug also saw it but was too shocked to react.

"DIE!" Shrieked the akuma!

"Ozuchi Kozuchi! Shin!" Tetsui grew in length and Lavi used it to push Doug out of the room, away from the doorway. The Akuma's spike missed.

"Doug, out of the house now!"

"But, I can't—" Doug started.

_Abandon._

"NOW!" Lavi snapped as he broke the wall above the doorway, aiming straight at the eyeball. Doug quickly scurried down the staircase and out of the house.

There was silence again for a few seconds. It was so quiet that Lavi could hear his own heart pounding against his chest. The sound was hurting his ears.

_Is it destroyed yet?_

"Not yet." Another spike flew out, Lavi dodged but the spike managed to cut his shin. Lavi looked around for the Akuma. This time, the 'face' appeared above the beds.

"You can't destroy me by smashing walls, for I am part of the house. Even if you wreck the house, I can still kill!" The akuma started giggling at its own powers before breaking into a maniacal laugh.

The laughter continued for a long while until it got interrupted by Lavi's sudden "Oi!" The Akuma stared at Lavi.

"What? You wanna beg for your life?"

"How come you didn't kill the owner of this place?" Lavi asked, not looking at the Akuma in the eye.

"It's interesting to watch a human kill its own kind. And I just kill off those she left out."

"Like the two people wearing beige coats?"

"Yeah, those two. The Earl is going to be proud of me, I bet the families of the victims are in despair and more of us will be formed." The Akuma said in glee. "Are you frightened? You're backing up."

Lavi was stepping backward slowly toward the opening he first made and stopped when the Akuma spoke about it.

"You trying to flee? Even if you get out of the house, I still can kill you. Maybe it would be easier if you dropped your friend." The Akuma gave a devilish grin.

"Ha."

The Akuma's grin turned into a smile when Lavi suddenly started laughing, laughing at the face of death.

"Why are you laughing?"

Lavi didn't reply, he just kept laughing and irritating the Akuma at the same time.

"Why you…" The Akuma launched another spike from the floorboard but it got deflected by the hammer. "WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"

Lavi looked at the Akuma in the eye and smirked, a broad smirk which did not show fear but confidence in front of the Devil.

"Because you're dumb." Lavi replied.

"What?!"

"You just lost seven victims, seven who would have been your food."

"Their families would be in desp—" The Akuma protested.

"Furthermore, their families believe that they are only_ missing_, meaning they have no purpose for the Millennium Earl. And lastly,…"

The Akuma was starting to look more and more infuriated but Lavi still continued.

"I'm not trying to flee because I know how to beat you. _You _told me how." Lavi finished his sentence and jumped through the opening, landing on his feet to prevent further harm to Kanda.

_I'm not observing a war anymore._

"You little punk!" The Akuma's face appeared on the exterior of the house.

_I'm fighting in it._

"Innocence, Daini Kaihou!" Multiple seals with Kanji imprinted on them started floating and rotating around Lavi's raised Tetsui. The one with the symbol of fire stopped in front of Lavi.

"If I can't smash the whole house completely, then I'll just burn it! Return to ashes!" Lavi slammed the hammer's head into the ground causing a large fire mark to cover the ground where the inn stood.

"HI-BAN!" A large tower of flame burst out from the ground engulfing the whole inn in flames. The Akuma's shrieks could be heard and a few neighbours opened their window in shock. Lavi just stood there watching the sign melt and burn as the Akuma's cries died down. Then it was gone, the only thing left was the silence and the stench of burning flesh.

"Lavi-san!" Doug came running over. "The police are coming, please go somewhere else first. I'll handle the situation here." He passed Lavi a small First-Aid pouch. "Your injuries and Kanda-san's."

"Oh yeah, thanks." Lavi was about the walk to somewhere to treat his wounds and then remembered something.

"Doug, don't tell the police about the missing people."

Doug stared at Lavi for a while and realized the reason. "They got cremated completely?"

"Yeah."

********************************************

_Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. _Lavi swore mentally as he pulled the bandages form the pouch. _It's a miracle that he's even still breathing now._ Lavi tried to remember all he has read about First Aid when he heard Kanda mutter something.

"Yuu! You're awake!" Lavi exclaimed, almost happy. Then Kanda tried to sit up to lean against the brick wall behind him but Lavi stopped him.

"I'll help you, kay?"

Upon hearing the word 'help', Kanda seemed to be very determined to ignore the excruciating pain he was feeling.

"Lie still! What the hell is your problem?"

"I don't need help!" Kanda hissed although he was grimacing and still clutching the left of his abdomen but Lavi removed his hand and was unbuttoning Kanda's coat.

"With a wound li—" Then Lavi stopped. The bleeding has stopped and a scab was starting to form over the wound. Lavi then caught a glimpse of a Sanskrit character on Kanda's chest before he got the bandages snatched out of his hand.

Lavi stared in shock as Kanda sat up and started bandaging the wound.

"Your injury just… got better." Lavi said in astonishment.

"Che. Whatever, I heal fast."

"That's not called healing fast! That's called healing at an inhumane speed!" Came the exclamation.

"Shut up."

Lavi opened his mouth to comment further but was silenced by a very threatening glare. Then Doug arrived informing them that the police will take over. He too was also silenced when he noticed that Kanda was a lot less injured than expected.

**********************************************

_Bookmen are supposed to be passive, emotionless and observing everything around them._

… _I think I just broke every rule in the book._

_Why?_

_Who knows?_

A jolt from the train indicating that it was leaving the station snapped Lavi out of his inner conversation. It's going to be a pretty long ride back to the order. Lavi looked at the Japanese who was sitting across him in the private train carriage.

"Oi, Yuu."

"Don't call me by my first name."

"How's your wound?"

"It's gone." Kanda said shortly.

"Hmm… Interesting." Lavi gave a pondering look.

"What?"

"The cut on my leg which I got yesterday is obviously smaller than that bleeding puncture but my wound only just scabbed." Lavi said.

"So?"

"You heal damn fast."

"Isn't that what I said?" Kanda said irritated.

"You said 'I heal fast.'" Lavi never forgets whatever he's heard.

"Does it matter?"

"It means you're not as bad as a person as I thought."

Kanda could have gave a very puzzled look at the sudden compliment but settled with a "Ha?"

"In the mission about half a month back, many Finders and a few Exorcists died or came back injured. But you were almost completely unscathed."

There was silence from Kanda and he just looked out of the window not wanting to listen to the other teenager but Lavi continued talking.

"There were rumors that you used Finders as meat shields because there's dead Finders around an unhurt you."

Kanda seemed to become more annoyed each time Lavi contribute one more word to the one-sided conversation.

"It's not because you didn't get hurt but it's because you pretty much can't get hurt, at least not for long. I bet those Finders protected you because you did get seriously wounded but by the time you were found by the reinforcements, the wounds were gone because you heal fast."

****************************************

_**Get away from me! I'll be fine! Stop blocking my way!**_

_**You're injured, Exorcist-sama!**_

_**The Akuma are coming! I won't get killed, I don't need your protection!**_

_**Finders are unable to destroy Akuma, so we can only protect the ones who can.**_

_**GO AWAY!**_

**Then the Akumas attacked.**

******************************************

"What? Can't think of a way to rebut?" Lavi challenged when he realized that Kanda was very quiet. Kanda just continued looking at the scene outside the train but his expression showed that Lavi was correct.

"So, how come you heal so fast? Is it something to do with that weird tattoo of yours? I thought that was some forbidden magic. So who gav--"

"Che." Kanda suddenly stood up and opened the carriage door. "I thought rabbits were supposed to be quiet." Then he left the carriage.

_Ok, so Bookman curiousity just_ _got the better of me._ Then Lavi thought of what Kanda just called him.

_Did he just __call me a rabbit?! In what way do I remind him of a little hopping mammal?!_

Lavi decided to get answers from Kanda. So he opened the carriage door only to see Doug idling outside.

"If you were wondering, Kanda-san went that way, two carriages down." Doug pointed out.

"Ah, right." Then he noticed that Doug was staring at him, or to be specific, staring at his uncovered eye.

"Is there something in my eye?"

"Nope. It's gone, what a pity." Doug said with a sigh.

"Is this about seeing a light in people's eyes?" Lavi asked shaking his head. _Not again._

"There was a light when you were fighting that Akuma yesterday. I saw a life inside then. Now, it's nothing but clouded glass."

Lavi put a palm on his own forehead. "Ookay, so I'm an empty person again."

"That's right." Doug said bluntly.

"How about Yuu? What can you understand by looking at his eyes?"

"Kanda-san? He's definitely hiding a lot of things but at least there's something alive inside." Doug commented.

"Hiding?"

"Things that he's afraid other people would know. However, I rather trust my life in his hands than in yours."

"Ouch." Lavi said mockingly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you would stop faking your character one day." Doug said smiling. Lavi could not tell if he really meant it or if he was just being sarcastic.

"Sure." Lavi said even though he knew he probably would not be able to. Doug watched as Lavi went two carriages down, opened the door only to close it again. Then he walked back.

"Something wrong?" Doug asked.

"Nah. The mission seemed to have taken quite a toll on Yuu. I think I shouldn't disturb him."

"He's sleeping?"

"Yep."

And the journey continued with no more conversation or disturbances.

*************************************

_The morning after returning…_

A loud commotion could be heard outside the cafeteria.

"Kanda! Calm down!" Marie shouted as he grabbed his Kouhai in an armlock.

"Let go of me! I'll kill that freaking rabbit!" Kanda hollered.

"Run, Lavi! I'll stop Kanda!" Daisya shouted, while preventing Kanda from using Mugen to do something lethal to Lavi. "Come on, it's just a little frilly ribbon in your hair." He continued, trying very hard to stifle his laughter.

"Daisya, please don't agitate Kanda further." Marie said. Just then, Kanda kicked Daisya in the face. Meanwhile, the main culprit was running away. He managed a few hundred metres before meeting up with Lenalee.

"Is everything alright? I heard yelling." Lenalee asked as Lavi bent over, gasping for breath.

"Yes, it's nothing much. I just tied a ribbon in Yuu's ponytail." Lavi said, half-laughing.

"I guess it's quite tempting sometimes." Lenalee said smiling before popping a snack into her mouth.

"What?"

"Nothing. Do you want some mochi?" Lenalee offered, holding out a bag of mochi (Glutinous rice dessert) she was snacking on.

"Thanks." Lavi took one. Then while chewing on it, he recalled something.

_Maybe she would know._

"Lenalee, do you know why Yuu calls me a rabbit?" Lavi asked. Lenalee gave a surprised look.

"He did?"

"Yeah, and I was wondering why."

Lenalee thought for a while. "Hmm… Oh!"

"You thought of something?"

"How cute!" Lenalee giggled. "It's quite a simple reason."

"Simple?"

"Yep! It's only that." Lenalee points at the mochi Lavi just bitten. "And that." She pointed at Tetsui which was strapped to his thigh. "You might want to check on Folklore books in the library. Japanese folklore that is."

_Japanese folklore?_

*********************************************

Out of curiousity, Lavi went to read a book he never thought he would touch. Folklores, fairy tales, myths and legends were not something he usually reads. To him, they are just tales made up by people to explain things they do not understand or to comfort themselves with happy endings which do not logically happen.

_Japanese folklore, oh yeah, this could be the one._ Lavi picked up a book on Asian tales and flipped through it until he found the tale which explained his nickname.

_The Rabbit who lives on the moon… That's the dumb reason?! _Lavi stared in disbelief. _Who would have thought Yuu makes such weird connections?_

***********************************************

_Extract from the book_

When you look up on a full moon, you can see a strange dark shape. Don't be scared, it's only a rabbit. The rabbit lives on the moon, pounding rice with a mallet and a usu (mortar) to make sweet delicious mochi.

How did it get there, you must be wondering? A deity brought it up a long time ago.

A long time ago, a rabbit, a raccoon and a fox lived together. A deity wanted to bring one of them up to live on the moon so he decided to take the kindest one with him. He disguised himself as a starving beggar and asked each creature to help him.

The fox went to find some fried bean curd for him while the raccoon went to gather grains and fruits for him. However, the rabbit could not find anything but grass. When the three animals went back, the fox gave the beggar the bean curd and the raccoon gave the beggar grains and fruits. The rabbit went up to the beggar with the grass.

"Please start a fire with the grass, and then I'll give you something to eat." The rabbit said.

The beggar thus started a fire. The rabbit then said "I'll throw myself in the fire, when my flesh is cooked, you can eat me so you won't be hungry." The rabbit then jumped into the fire.

However, it did not get burned, not even its fur. The beggar revealed itself to be a deity and praised the rabbit as being the kindest of all. He thus brought the rabbit to the moon.

And that's how it ended up there, pounding rice to make mochi for all to eat.

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Moko-chan: Yay! End of another chapter. Yup. I took long to update because I was distracted by computer games and drawing. Hehe.

The rabbit story isn't the exact Buddhist story. I kinda modified it a bit. And here's a little omake.

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Komui: So how was the mission?

Lavi: … (Kanda went to the infirmary because the doctors demanded that they check his supposed injury and Finders don't need to give reports as long as an Exorcist was present)

Komui: Was it bad?

Lavi: Let's just say I don't wanna talk about it.

Komui: No no, you have to give a report so we know the status.

Lavi: No innocence, one Akuma and a crazy ol—(remembers and clamps hand over mouth)

Komui: Are you alright? You look pale.

Lavi: I think I need to hurl…

Komui: 0_o Reever! Chuck Bucket!

Lavi: (Runs to nearest bathroom)

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Moko-Chan: Ok, that's that. Next chapter's the last! (CRIES) Don't worry, fellow fans, I'll write a new story if I can!


	15. When Allen Came

Moko-Chan: DGM belongs to Hoshino Sensei. Yep, my last chapter, the final chapter. There's no flow in this chapter. Just 5 short parts to bring closure to this story. Enjoy!

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_Disgusting._

That was the first word that came to Kanda's mind when he saw Allen Walker. He thought it could be because the boy got mistaken for an Akuma donning human skin, but that feeling of disgust never went away even after the misunderstanding got cleared up by an irresponsible Supervisor.

Something about _that boy_ clearly caused him to be weary. Was it because _he _had a pentacle but was not an Akuma? (Which clearly went against everything that Kanda believed in.) Or was it because the warmth that _he _was spreading would make nearly everyone open up to him?

The reason didn't matter much and Kanda did not want to think much about it either. All he knew is that the moment that _moyashi_ grabbed his wrist, he had the feeling of extreme repulsion.

And that irritating naïve behaviour just made the repulsion worse.

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_It's a complicated feeling._

Lenalee was sad and happy at the same time. Sad because someone so young (about her age) had to join in the war and carry the huge burden of fighting yet happy because she can make another friend, another 'sibling'. (And about her age too!)

She wanted him to stay and she wanted him to go. When Allen arrived, she hoped that somehow someone made a mistake and that this Allen Walker didn't need to become an Exorcist and could enjoy his life. Yet she wanted him to join the Order and experience the good times with the rest of them.

She hated and loved him. She hated the ability he was cursed with because it meant that only he saw those suffering souls. Yet, since Allen's arrival, it was the first time she and the others had been so relaxed walking in a human crowd.

But since he's here, she'll welcome him with open arms.

Note: I am not an Allen/ Lenalee fan and if somehow this part looks like it, it's not. 

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_Interesting._

Lavi thought Allen Walker was a strange person. He wanted to destroy Akuma but not kill humans? This was one thing Lavi did not understand. Both seem the same to Lavi. Ugly, greedy, spiteful and sad. Not to mention stupid.

Also, even though Allen Walker had the looks of an old man, he's definitely doesn't act like how he looks. The naïve behaviour of youth accompanied by inexperience, looks like Allen Walker has no idea about the darkness that the other Exorcists face.

But at the same time, Lavi enjoyed observing Allen Walker, to see how he would grow. He himself wasn't allowed to grow and develop a character, so he might as well watch other people, to see how they evolve, while he remains envious.

There's a lot of things this Bookman member can learn from him.

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The phone rang just before Lavi, Bookman and Komui were going to set off to Germany.

_Who could that be?_ Lavi thought as his Golem attached itself to the telephone cable at the train station. (How the communication system works in the Black Order is a wonder to me.)

"Hello?"

"It's Kanda…" came the reply. Lavi beamed.

"Yuu~~ I'm surprised you would actually bother to call me, I'm touched~~" Lavi said cheerfully.

"Shut up, would you!" Kanda snapped. "I heard that the Black Order was attacked by Dou… I mean an Akuma."

"Oh." Lavi voice took a considerable dip. "Oh yeah, I was there."

"You defeated the Akuma?"

"I didn't have a choice, it was only me and Jiji there."

"… Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm fine." Lavi said, trying to sound cheerful. "I mean, I still can handle a level 2, barely though." Lavi swore he heard a sharp intake of breath from the other side.

"It's never alright to kill someone you know, especially a friend."

"…"

"Lavi?"

Then came the fake bawling. "You actually care so much!~~ This is a historical moment~~."

"SHUT UP!"

"Anyway, have you heard about this Allen Walker?"

"Oh _him." _ Lavi could have swore Kanda just spat out the word 'him'.

"Have you met?"

"Unfortunately."

"So how is he?"

"A stupid naïve bratty moyashi."

_Moyashi? _"What the heck did the poor kid do to piss you off?" Lavi asked, trying not to laugh at the nickname Kanda bestowed upon this Allen Walker.

"_Everything_ he did annoys me."

Lavi laughed at the reply. Then he heard voices in the background. It sounded like Marie and Daisya.

"I'm putting down the phone." Kanda said. "Make sure you don't die."

"You too, or Lenalee would cry."

"Che." And the line was cut off. Lavi continued waiting for the train with the other two. He was looking forward to meeting this Allen Walker.

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Parties were a happy occasion. The members of the Black Order held one whenever they could. (Of course, this was ever since Komui became the Supervisor) Whether it was a festive season, a welcoming or success from an extremely difficult mission, they made big celebrations with grand feasts and beautiful decorations.

And now they held a Welcome party for their newest member. A long awaited new member.

"WELCOME HOME! ALLEN WALKER!" Everybody in the cafeteria shouted as the addition to the Black Order family walked in.

The boy stared in surprised, then involuntarily, tears welled up in his eyes.

"I'm home!"

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Moko-Chan: *Sniff* It's over! 15 chapters and almost a year! Thank you my fellow fan's out there.

To 2stupid, adg, AllenXWalker'sXEnemy, Astaline Nihtingale, azab, bruderlein, FlareKnight, Fruit Knife Resident, foxy cat13, Illusional Cupcake,

(Breathes in!) kaillinne arami, Karush, kodamy, Timcanpy, wolfpup026, Yume Li and yumise-lunar, Thank you for loving this fic so so so much that you actually bothered to give me such great reviews.

To Alanna-twins, Anilucard, AllenxWalker'sxEnemy, Astaline Nihtingale, abilityPOINT, , black rose dark angel, blood-stained-rag-doll, bkworm14, blueballad, bruderlein, (BREATHES!) coolgirl200, FlareKnight, Gabby123, Hanabie, Heiwa P, Hotaruu-chan, Itaichixion, Izumi1909, Jasaiya Hawkins, Kahoko, kaillinne arami, Karina Edelweiss, (BREATHES AGAIN) , Kitsune no Yuuki, Kyurengo, Lal Mirch, LenaleeX, MizuKitsune10, mk17design, (GASP, GASP) NellaXIval, Nakimi Ishikawa, Parallaxis, ranmyaku-neko, shelli-bluezh, SepherZmon, Shadow Kitsu, Timcanpy, Valitiel, Zogrem, and Zwnophoria for loving this story so much that you _had to know_ when I update. (Phew. Wouldn't mind if some of you would review this last chapter though.)

And thank you Pika for correcting my atrocious grammar mistakes and loaning me your account. (Which is a given since you're my sister)

So **please give me your final reviews for this.**

And also, I have started writing a new DGM fic, "**Pages from the Black Order Dairy**". Please check it out when you have the time.


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